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Munich's Oktoberfest attracts around 6.5 million people each year, making it one of Europe's most well attended and popular events. The festival is held over a period of between 16 and 18 days during late September and early October and has remained one of the highlights of the German social calendar since its inception in 1810. This first Oktoberfest took place on October 12th - celebrating the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony - and saw citizens from all over the region converging on Munich to rejoice. That year, the event concluded with a set of horse races, but the decision to repeat this competition in 1811 was the beginning of an annual tradition. A parade that was held to mark the royal couple's marriage in 1810 has been celebrated most years since 1850, resulting in approximately 8,000 people walking to Oktoberfest through the middle of Munich wearing authentic clothing. An agricultural show first launched in 1811 to help the Bavarian farming trade has also been repeated and is held every four years on the southern edge of the Oktoberfest grounds. Over time, the event has continued to grow in popularity, with stalls popping up from 1816 onwards, starting with jewellery and precious metal merchants but now boasting a wide range of other goods. Booths for drinking gradually expanded into beer halls to cope with the number of people attending, while food, drink and musical entertainment continued to be a mainstay of the festival. Since the first Oktoberfest in 1810, it has only been cancelled on 24 occasions, with most of these owing to wartime periods or times of sickness. In keeping with tradition, there are very strict rules regarding the beer that can be consumed during Oktoberfest, meaning only beverages that are brewed within the Munich city limits are allowed. If you decide to join in the celebrations, be careful not to become too inebriated, as many people can forget that the beer is often much stronger than usual. In fact, those who become too drunk and fall asleep or pass out have their own special nickname from the locals - 'bierleichen' or 'beer corpses'. Despite this, around seven million litres of beer are poured during Oktoberfest each year and there are always plenty of food stalls nearby, serving German classics such as sauerkraut, schweinebraten and bratwurst. Those with the stomach for it can also go on any number of rides that are situated in the vicinity, with carousels and rollercoasters on offer. Enjoy the rich heritage of Oktoberfest by booking on to one of the tours to the event offered by First Festival Travel. You can also choose from packages involving a range of other Europe festivals, so check out our offerings today.
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