The royal wedding that accidentally became the world's largest beer festival
What began as a 1810 horse race to celebrate a Bavarian wedding has evolved into a massive annual spectacle. Today, millions descend upon Munich's Theresienwiese, consuming millions of litres of beer and participating in traditions that have survived wars, pandemics, and even hyperinflation.
The origins of Oktoberfest trace back to 12 October 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. To celebrate, Munich officials organized a public event on the fields outside the city walls. This site was subsequently named Theresienwiese, or 'Therese's Meadow,' in honor of the princess, a name still used today.
While the festival is now synonymous with beer, its early iterations focused on equestrian competition. The inaugural event featured a horse race modeled after medieval traditions, with thirty horses competing over a 3,400-metre course. Over the decades, the festival's scope expanded significantly. By 1811, an agricultural show was added to support Bavarian farming, and by 1818, carnival booths began offering prizes like jewelry and porcelain.
The festival has faced numerous interruptions, ranging from the cholera epidemics of 1854 and 1873 to the economic devastation of the 1920s hyperinflation. It also endured the dark period of the Nazi regime, which used the event for propaganda and barred Jewish citizens from working at the Wiesn. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellations in 2020 and 2021.
Modern Oktoberfest is a massive logistical feat. In 2023, the event saw a record-breaking 7.2 million attendees, who consumed roughly 7.4 million litres of beer. The official start remains a choreographed ritual: the Mayor of Munich taps the first keg at noon in the Schottenhammel tent, signaling the start with the cry 'O'zapft is!' while twelve gunshots are fired from the Ruhmeshalle.
Source: Oktoberfest
