Oktoberfest celebrations are held all over the world today, but the original, and most famous, festival is held in Munich. Every year, more than 6 million people flock to the German city to participate, consuming a total of around 6.5 million liters of beer while celebrating Bavarian culture.
The festival begins in September, which begs the question: Why is it called Oktoberfest?
When was the first Oktoberfest held?
Oktoberfest began as a five-day wedding celebration, beginning on October 12, 1810. The festivities honored the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, the future King Ludwig I, to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The wedding celebration ended with a horse race held in an open space that later became known as the Theresienwiese, the site of the Munich Oktoberfest today. The celebration was so successful that it became an annual festival, retaining the name associated with its original celebration in October.
In 1811, horse racing was held in conjunction with an agricultural fair organized by the Bavarian Agricultural Association. Food and drink were served there until 1818, and at the end of the 20th century, temporary plywood beer halls began to be built.
Beer was a particularly important element of Oktoberfest, thanks to a 1553 decree that banned brewing during the warm summer months for safety and quality reasons. Before the Bavarians could start brewing in the fall, they had to empty their reserves. Brewers brewed a stronger beer in March, which could be stored in cool cellars over the summer. This Märzen-style beer later became closely associated with Oktoberfest, and the festival offered the opportunity to consume leftover beer so that the barrels would be ready for the grain harvest in October.
As the festival continued to expand and grow into a longer and larger celebration, its date changed.
Why was the festival moved from October to September?
Oktoberfest was held in October until 1871. A year later, the festival was moved to September to take advantage of the month's longer days and warmer weather. Since then, the event has started in September, although it traditionally ends on the first Sunday in October.
When is Oktoberfest 2026?
In 2026, the Munich Oktoberfest began on Saturday, September 19, and continues until Sunday, October 4. The opening day of the festival, which usually lasts 16 days, is on or after the Saturday that falls on September 15, while the event continues until the first Sunday in October.
On the opening day, before the ceremonial tapping of the first keg of beer at noon, participants take part in a 6.5-kilometer-long parade of Oktoberfest pub and brewery owners. Decorated floats and horse-drawn carriages wind their way through Munich to the festival grounds. A separate parade with traditional costumes and hunters takes place the next day.
Oktoberfest officially begins when the mayor of Munich opens the first keg in the FesthalleSchottenhamel beer tent and announces “Ozapftis!”, which in Bavarian means “The keg is opened!” This tradition of ceremonial keg opening began in 1950 with mayor Thomas Wimmer.
When did Americans start celebrating Oktoberfest?
Oktoberfest was first celebrated in the United States on October 13–15, 1961, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. During the 1960s and 1970s, local celebrations spread across the country. Today, Cincinnati claims that the Cincinnati Oktoberfest, which began in 1976, is the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the United States.
Oktoberfests held in America don't always follow the Munich dates. In the United States, many of the celebrations take place over one or two weekends, rather than spanning several weeks, with some events starting in October. For example, the 2026 Denver Oktoberfest takes place over the last two weekends of September, while the 2026 Oktoberfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, takes place over the first two weekends of October. /Syri.net
