The Amazing History and Traditions Of Oktoberfest

There was a time when German horsemen would ride into town and leave behind barrels of their best wine, which sealed the deal with eager lager drinkers. The sense of revelry was unprecedented and our ancestors delighted over the chance to drink to excess and carouse like the “good old days.”

The history of Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest dates back to 1810, but its origins are muddled and still unclear. For this reason, some historians believe that the origins of Oktoberfest can be traced to Midsummer’s Eve. A few weeks later, on October 16th, Bavarian statesman Georg von Schweinfurt opened the doors to his official state banquet with a roasted ox surrounded by bread. 

Why is Oktoberfest being celebrated?

Oktoberfest takes place in Munich, Bavaria, Germany on the first weekend in October. It is a 16-day festival that celebrates the German nation’s founding of the Bavarian kingdom and its four principal states: Franconia, Swabia, Lusatia, and Bavaria. The best known event is the annual Wiesn – an octogenarian tradition that dates back. This day of celebration has been going on since its inception and has been a huge part of Germany’s cultural heritage ever since.

The traditions of Oktoberfest in celebration

It was originally derived from the good old-fashioned wedding celebration. It started as a parade and then progressed into an outrageous bacchanalia that turned into the world’s largest public party. Although most people might be familiar with it as such, Oktoberfest also incorporates many fascinating history and traditions all of its own.

The festival is held to celebrate the wedding of Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria and Therese Henrietta of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival with many traditional Bavarian foods and drinks, including beer. The event also features a parade featuring the mayor of Munich dressed as a knight on horseback, led by a band playing traditional German music. These members would then take big Bavarian flags and start acting like they were in the Bavarian army. They started using songs like “O’ Tannenbaum,” which really sprung up when people saw them singing.

Why do we celebrate Oktoberfest in September?

Oktoberfest, a festival in Bavaria, actually coincides with the last days of the reign of the previous German monarch. In fact, in 1268 when King Conrad IV married Princess Maria Anna to seal a peace agreement between their families, they married on 20th September and celebrated their wedding on 1st October! So we all celebrate Oktoberfest love and marriage and these two practices occurring at the same time. However, the celebration is named after the date when all of the 16 cities of Munich decided to get together for a festival, which actually began on October 12th. You can enjoy the traditional touches of this event while enjoying your favorite beer or wine, celebrating with friends and family, enjoying musical performances, ballroom dancing, food galore, corporate sponsorship events, lifestyle technology competitions, parades through German communities, fun run/walk events for all age groups that travel throughout the city.