Oktoberfest: The World's Largest Folk Festival
Oktoberfest is the world's largest folk festival and Germany's most famous cultural celebration, drawing over 6 million visitors to Munich annually. The event began in 1810 as a public wedding celebration for Crown Prince Ludwig I and Princess Therese. The festivities were held on a meadow named Theresienwiese ("Therese's Meadow") in her honor—a site locals still affectionately call the "Wiesn." What started as a royal horse race evolved into a massive 16-to-18-day festival honoring Bavarian agriculture, heritage, and community.
While beer is central to the identity of the "Wiesn," the festival is a village-scale social phenomenon. Fourteen enormous tents and roughly 20 smaller ones house thousands of guests at long wooden tables. Strict tradition dictates the beverages: all beer must be brewed within Munich's city limits and adhere to the Reinheitsgebot (the German Beer Purity Law of 1516), which permits only water, hops, barley, and yeast. Since 1892, beer has been served exclusively in one-liter glass steins known as a "Maß."
Oktoberfest rituals are deeply tied to Bavarian pride. The festival officially begins when Munich's mayor taps the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent, shouting the famous words, "O'zapft is!" (It is tapped!). The Costume and Riflemen's Parade showcases regional attire, including traditional Dirndl gowns and Lederhosen. Beyond the tents, the grounds feature over 100 attractions, from vintage carousels in the "Oide Wiesn" (Old Wiesn) section to modern thrill rides, creating a unique atmosphere of nostalgic charm and contemporary excitement.
