The city where Oktoberfest is held. Oktoberfest: history of the holiday and interesting facts. Oktoberfest is a holiday not only for beer lovers

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There is hardly a beer festival in the world more popular than Oktoberfest, which has been held in Munich on Terezin Meadow for more than 200 years. Each year, approximately 6 million visitors flock to the city to sample special festival beers from the city's best breweries. The foamy drink is distinguished by a pronounced malt taste due to long aging and a strength of 5.8 to 6.3%, and it is produced only at this time of year.

Only Munich breweries were, are and will be allowed to participate in the festival.

A little history

The festival was first held when Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Theresa, after whom the meadow where the festival takes place is named. This happened in October 1810, the event became an annual event, and the name Oktoberfest was assigned to it. The dates have gradually moved to warmer, sunnier September, but the two-week festival traditionally spans the first weekend of October.

For 200 years, the holiday was canceled only a few times and only for very good reasons: because of the cholera epidemic, the Prussian-Austrian and Franco-Prussian Wars, the First and Second World Wars and hyperinflation in Germany in 1923-1924. For a long time, Oktoberfest was an event for residents of Bavaria and the surrounding regions of Germany. Only since 1960, tourists from different parts of the world began to come to it, and now it is one of the most visited festivals in the world and the largest folk festival.

Munich Oktoberfest

How is Oktoberfest going?

Traditionally, Oktoberfest begins on Saturday with a procession of tent owners. Led by the mayor of Munich, the procession on festive carts with barrels of beer placed on them and accompanied by orchestras passes through the city center and ends at Theresa’s meadow. At exactly noon, 12 shots are fired into the sky from a cannon, and in the Schottenhamel-Festzelt tent, the current mayor of Munich drives a tap into the first barrel - Oktoberfest is open! The next day, on the first Sunday of the holiday, a costume procession and a parade of riflemen take place. About 8 thousand people dressed in historical and national costumes, together with orchestras and decorated teams, march from the Bavarian parliament building to Theresa's Meadow. The costumed procession and the ceremonial knocking of the cork from the first barrel are relatively new traditions; they appeared only in 1950.

The holiday lasts just over two weeks, during which time 14 large (with a capacity of 10 thousand people) and 15 small beer tents (with a capacity of 1000 people) are built on Teresa’s meadow.

Life is seething inside the tents - fragile-looking waitresses are serving 12-liter mugs of beer at a time, festival guests are devouring fried chicken and pork sausages by both cheeks, beer is flowing like a river, the music is thundering, and the noisy, cheerful crowd does not stop for a minute. Often, at one table or at another, someone gets up and, to the applause of those around them, drinks a liter of beer in one fell swoop, while others empty their mugs at speed.

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The festival has a lot of entertainment: carousels, breathtaking roller coasters, a 50-meter Ferris wheel, a free-fall simulation tower. You can periodically take a break from tasting and just take a walk, choose souvenirs, make new acquaintances, ride one of the attractions or watch a flea circus. Otherwise, there is a great chance that if you drink too much, you will end up in the caring hands of doctors and volunteer paramedics serving the festival. In German there is even a special name for those who do not know the measure: Bierleichen - beer corpse.

Every Tuesday is a family day with significant discounts on food and attractions. There are special rooms for children, and for the convenience of parents - parking for strollers and a microwave where you can heat up baby food. Children under 6 years old can be taken to the holiday on other days, but they must leave the beer tents before 20:00.

Oktoberfest 2017

Oktoberfest 2017 opens on Saturday 16th September with an official tapping ceremony at the Schottenhamel tent at 12:00. On this day, it is better to arrive early - good places are taken as early as 9:00. On Sunday, September 17th at 10:00 a.m. the costume parade will begin. Other significant events are the traditional religious mass on September 21 at 10:00 and the brass band concert on September 29 at 11:00. The festival will last until October 3: at midnight it will end with a fireworks display at the Bavarian monument.

In 2017, prices at Oktoberfest increased slightly, especially for soft drinks. A liter of beer will cost about 11 EUR, and lemonade and mineral water will cost even more. Prices are fixed, you can study them at the office. event website (in English).

New attractions will appear: Drifting Coaster - drifting gondolas, Voodoo Jumper - jumping with a complete feeling of weightlessness, XXL Racer, raising to a height of 55 m, Jules Vernes Tower - raising even higher: 70 m at a speed of 65 km/h. For those who are not looking for thrills, the Oide Wiesn is a good option - a ride in a 70-year-old carriage among picturesque lawns with goats, horses and piglets. Every 4 years, an agricultural exhibition is held in parallel at Terezin Meadow, and it will be held this year as well.

On the opening day, beer tents will be open from 12:00 to 22:30, at other times: on weekdays - from 10:00 to 22:30, on Saturday and Sunday - from 9:00 to 22:30. Attractions, food stalls - from 10:00 to midnight. All tents are free to enter, but capacity is limited so you'll need to arrive early or make reservations in advance. Detailed information - at the office. website. Once the tents are full they are closed, usually before noon even on weekdays.

You can buy souvenirs as souvenirs: mugs, glasses, magnets, T-shirts with the festival emblem. They are already on sale in the online store at the office. website

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Having reached Munich, you need to get to Theresienwiese, located in the very center of the city. From the airport, the most convenient way is to take the S8 train to the Hackerbrucke station, from which it is a 10-minute walk to the festival site. From the train and bus stations in the center of Munich, Theresienwiese is a 15-minute walk away. If you are too lazy to walk, you can take the metro one stop (line U4).

Hotels are predictably crowded during Oktoberfest. For unpretentious guests, every year Oktoberfest All Inclusive Camping is set up 10 km from the city center: tents, marquees and sleeping bags; common amenities. Not very comfortable, but fun and cheap. There is a relaxation area and a bar where beer lovers make noise and enjoy life around the clock. A tent for two will cost 2000 EUR for the entire festival period. In any hotel or even hostel, prices for the festival dates will be significantly higher.

Every year at the beginning of autumn, millions of people from all over Germany and from many other countries of the world leave their seats and flock to Munich to take part in the grandiose event, the most popular folk festival in the world - Oktoberfest. This is a cycle of fun, dancing, songs, round dances, and all this is washed down with a huge amount of beer, eaten with tons of fried sausages, chicken legs and pretzels. Oktoberfest is a celebration of freedom and excess, and visitors should forget about calories and figure, because it is the world's greatest beer festival.

It is held in Munich in the second half of September - early October under the auspices of the city municipality. Only six Munich breweries have the right to supply beer to Oktoberfest, supplying special “festival” beer that meets the requirements of the “Law on the Purity of Beer” of 1516. Outside of Oktoberfest, this beer is called “March beer”, its strength is about 6%.

History of Oktoberfest

The festival was first held on October 12, 1810. On this day, the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghaus took place. The prince decided to celebrate this event with a grand holiday for the Bavarians. The celebrations took place outside the city limits in a field that has since become known as Teresa’s meadow. Over 40 thousand people took part in the celebration. On Teresa's Meadow (in common parlance just Meadow) Oktoberfest still takes place. According to other sources, the first festival took place on October 17, when horse racing took place in honor of the wedding.

The festivities were so successful that Ludwig decided to hold them annually. In 1811, during the festivities, an agricultural exhibition was held, which became a festival tradition. True, now it is carried out at 4 years. The year 1813 had to be skipped because Europe was at war with Napoleon, but already in 1814 the festival resumed. Beer is increasingly coming to the fore - festival participants report many beer tents set up in the Meadow.

At first, the holiday was a private event held by the royal family. In 1819, the prince transferred organizational functions to the Munich municipality. And in 1850, Oktoberfest acquired its symbol - a statue of Bavaria, installed on the Meadow.

The holiday was celebrated almost every year; it could only be prevented by such serious disasters as wars or epidemics. In 1872, due to weather conditions, it was decided to move the festival to an earlier date, and in 1904 they finally decided on the dates for celebrating Oktoberfest - the holiday was held from the 3rd Saturday of September to the 1st Sunday of October.

Little by little, Oktoberfest took on its current form. Fried chicken appeared in 1881, and liter glass mugs appeared in 1892. Previously, the tents housed bowling alleys, dance floors, and other “entertainment industry” facilities, but at the end of the 19th century they were moved outside because the tents became too crowded.

The 20th century had a difficult start for Oktoberfest. Before the First World War, the festival was at the peak of its popularity - for example, in 1913, a record was set for the capacity of the beer pavilion - 12 thousand seats. But then they had to forget about the holiday for many years - during the war it was not held at all, and after its end the severe crisis did not allow organizing a truly mass celebration. The Nazis who came to power gave the festival their own symbolism, banned a number of attractions, and with the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the festival disappeared from the calendar again. Only 10 years later, the Munich authorities revived Oktoberfest in its previous form.

Main events of the festival

Since 1887, the holiday opens with a procession of beer pavilion owners. The procession is led by the Munich child, the symbol of the city, accompanied by the mayor of the Bavarian capital. They are seated on a decorated harness, followed by elegant carts of tent owners with their families, accompanied by their orchestras. The carts are drawn by horses and buffaloes. Each owner brings a barrel of his signature beer, which he will bottle at Oktoberfest. The owners of the attractions are also indispensable participants in the procession.

The route of the procession passes through the central streets of the city and ends at Teresa’s meadow. The procession is a very impressive sight. It lasts about an hour and usually has about 1000 participants. The streets along which the motorcade is moving are filled with many thousands of Munich residents and guests of the city; there is a live broadcast on television about this event, in which many famous personalities of Germany and Europe always take part.

After the procession arrives at the Meadow at noon, the culminating event of the opening day of the festival takes place - the uncorking of the first barrel. This honorable duty is performed by the mayor of the city, who must drive the tap into the barrel with a wooden hammer. Having driven in the tap, the mayor exclaims: “It’s uncorked!” At this moment, 12 rifle salvoes are fired from the steps of the pedestal of the statue of Bavaria. This is the signal for the opening of the holiday - now tent owners can start selling beer. And the first mug is traditionally presented to the Prime Minister of Bavaria.

Every year, many bets are made on how many times the mayor will open the barrel. It has its own records and anti-records. The record holder is Christian Ude, who in 2006 only had one hit. Closing the line of mayors is Thomas Wimmer, who in 1950 was lucky only on his 19th attempt.

The oldest Oktoberfest tradition is the costume procession, which took place for the first time in 1835, on the 25th wedding anniversary of Oktoberfest founders Ludwig and Theresa. This event became an annual event in 1950. This is perhaps the most impressive event of the festival, taking place on the first Sunday of Oktoberfest. At 10 o'clock in the morning, a procession numbering 8-9 thousand participants sets off from the Bavarian Landtag to Theresa's Meadow. The length of the route is about 7 km.

The procession is traditionally led by a Munich child, accompanied by representatives of the Munich municipality and the Bavarian government. They are followed by over forty carts and carriages, teams of beer pavilion owners, orchestras and delegations of various historical and ethnographic communities, shooting associations, etc. They gather from all over Western Europe. They are all dressed in their unique national and corporate clothes. When looking at this large-scale, noisy, unimaginably motley and colorful spectacle, a comparison inevitably arises with the famous Brazilian carnival.

How is Oktoberfest going?

No matter how attractive the festive events may be, they are not the main part of Oktoberfest. The true atmosphere of the holiday can only be felt by communicating with its participants on Teresa’s Meadow. It is impossible to convey in words this infectious, riotous fun that reigns in and around the beer tents, with the inevitable drunken fraternization in different languages, choral singing, dancing on the table and copious beer libations.

The main objects of the festival “architecture” are, of course, the famous beer tents. They belong to six Munich breweries, whose names are brands known to beer lovers around the world. These are Augustiner, Paulaner, Löwenbrau, Franciskaner, Hofbrau and Hacker-Pschorr. In total, the festival usually has 14 large (up to 10 thousand seats) and 15-20 small (less than 1000) pavilions. They are not able to accommodate everyone, so next to the pavilions there are beer lawns, where there are also tables.

Beer at Oktoberfest can only be drunk at tables, which are always sorely lacking, so the queues for the tents are huge. The drink is served exclusively in liter mugs, so neither a Russian lover of half-liter containers, nor an Englishman accustomed to pints has a chance of getting the favorite size from the colorful waitresses.

The waitresses themselves are one of the symbols of Oktoberfest. They are always very nice and dressed in national Bavarian costumes. At the same time, they are professionals in their field. Festival regulars talk about a certain Anita Schwartz, who managed to carry 19 mugs 40 meters without spilling a drop.

The snacks served are very tasty and high in calories. These include traditional sausages and frankfurters, fried chicken, beef and pork dishes, baked trout, salted pretzels, and for lovers - a variety of sweets.
Beer is definitely the king of the festival. During the two weeks of the holiday, up to a third of all the beer produced in Munich in a year is drunk. In addition to beer, special tents offer guests juices, different types of young wine, strong drinks and much more.

The festival features a whole Luna Park with swings, carousels, roller coasters, bungee jumps and a Ferris wheel. Many festival guests spend the whole day here without trying beer. Recently, “children’s days” have been established, when the cafe offers a children’s menu, and discounts are provided on the attractions. Various competitions, performances by amateur orchestras, costume shows, etc. are held, so even the most notorious teetotaler will not get bored at Oktoberfest.

The fame of Oktoberfest has long crossed national borders and acquired a worldwide scale. Every third resident of Germany visited the festival at least once, and the record was set in 1985 - 7.5 million guests. No festival in the world has ever attracted more participants. So it’s worth coming here at least once to see that this fame is well deserved.

Oktoberfest is the largest national festival in the world, and many people associate Germany or beer with this holiday. Oktoberfest has been held for more than 200 years, and each time at the end of September millions of people flock to it - both locals and tourists. They all come to enjoy Bavarian culture and an integral part of the festival - beer. The traditions of Bavarian culture are clearly visible throughout the sixteen-day festival, from the procession on the first day of the holiday to the food, drinks and traditional clothing.

In this list you will find everything you would like to know about Oktoberfest - and, in the opinion of , this post will be especially useful for those who, for some reason, have not yet been to this holiday, but are definitely planning to do so in the future! Raise your glasses and say “Prost!” - and proceed to our list of the 25 most interesting facts about Oktoberfest.

25. History of Oktoberfest

Delving into the history of this great holiday, it should be noted that the first Oktoberfest in Munich took place on October 12, 1810, on the occasion of the marriage between the heir to the crown, Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. All residents of Munich were invited to the celebration, which took place in a field on the outskirts of the city.

24. No longer a wedding, but still a holiday

Despite the fact that there was no royal wedding celebrated the following year, local residents of Munich were looking forward to some other big event. Therefore, they organized mass celebrations, where an agricultural exhibition was held, and children's attractions and beer stalls were brought (which has now become the hallmark of the festival).

23. The holiday never ends

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Oktoberfest has been held annually since 1810, with the exception of 24 years when it was canceled due to cholera epidemics or periods of war.

22. Traditional clothing at Oktoberfest

The expression "dress to impress" is a slogan for many Oktoberfest fans. Men typically wear leather shorts with suspenders, a white shirt, knee socks and traditional boots. Bavarian women, in turn, wear a dress with a narrow bodice, short sleeves, a low neckline, a wide skirt and an apron.

21. Oktoberfest isn't really a German national holiday.

Although for most people Oktoberfest represents all of Germany, it actually represents only a small part of German culture: it only features the traditions of southeastern Bavaria. Other states also hold their own folk festivals, but they are less famous than Oktoberfest. For example, he advises visiting Freimarkt in Bremen or Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart.

20. When is Oktoberfest held?

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Many tourists come to Munich throughout October (without first reading our list of Oktoberfest facts) and leave a little disappointed because all they see is the usual number of Germans drinking beer in a bar somewhere. The thing is that Oktoberfest actually takes place in September and ends on the first Sunday in October. And why? Yes, because it’s simply warmer at this time! ;)

19. Who gets the first glass of beer?

Oktoberfest details: when is the first glass of beer drunk? The beer festival does not begin until the procession of farmers and brewers has passed. The mayor of Munich is leading the parade, and it is he who must uncork the first barrel of beer in the Schottenhamel tent. Then the mayor will shout: “O” zapft is!”, which means “uncorked,” and after that beer sales will begin in other beer shops.

18. The appearance of beer halls

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The scale of the festival has increased several times over the more than two hundred years of its existence, while for the first time the famous beer halls were rented in 1896 (with the support of the largest Bavarian breweries). Before this, you could taste beer in small beer stalls that were scattered throughout the city.

17. Oktoberfest is a holiday not only for beer lovers

It’s quite hard to understand why, but every year at Oktoberfest a tent with... wine is set up. The best varieties of Bavarian wine are presented there, which even the French can appreciate!

16. Who comes to Oktoberfest?

There is a stereotype that the international fame of Oktoberfest discourages the Germans themselves from attending their national holiday. However, this is absolutely not true: about 70% of festival participants are residents of the lands closest to Bavaria, another 15% come from other parts of Germany, and only 15% are tourists from Europe, the USA and other countries.

15. What do locals call Oktoberfest?

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A lesser-known fact about the festival: Munich residents don't call it Oktoberfest! From them you will most likely hear the festival Vizn, which comes from the name of the field where the festival was first held. This field, named after Princess Theresa, Theresenwisn (meaning Therese's Meadows) is still the site of Oktoberfet.

14. The festival is so large that it has its own post office

Organized especially for the festival (even their own stamps are designed), the Oktoberfest post office opens every year so that festival-goers can send souvenirs and postcards to their friends and family. About 130,000 parcels and postcards are sent from this post office every year.

13. Number of Oktoberfest visitors

Let's face it - although Oktoberfest offers plenty of fun and attractions for children, the main reason so many people come here is the beer. Every year this holiday attracts at least 5-7 million people to have a good time at Theresienwiese in Munich.

12. Traditional Bavarian music

You can get into the spirit and mood of Oktoberfest even while away from the holiday, simply by listening to the traditional music of Bavarian wind instruments, known as Blasmusik. The most famous German folk compositions are the songs “In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus”, “Marmor, Stein und Eisen bricht” and “Viva Colonia”.

11. Tents at Oktoberfest

Of course, now Oktoberfest has beer stalls and halls made of wood and steel, which is not as romantic as it used to be, especially since they are assembled and dismantled every year for the festival. However, the traditional tents remain, and the largest of them, the Hofbräu-Festzelt, can accommodate up to 10,000 visitors, with 6,000 seats inside.

10. Oktoberfest is a holiday for everyone - both rich and poor

Although leather shorts and knee socks are only worn by Oktoberfest fans, the traditional Bavarian hat - Tirolerhüte - can be seen on almost everyone. In the old days, it was believed that the more goat hair patches on a headdress, the richer the owner. However, nowadays such hats are only worn during the festival.

9. How much does it cost to go to Oktoberfest?

One of the best facts about Oktoberfest is that it is completely free to attend! Well, sort of. You can enter the festival grounds or any beer tent for free. The only thing I recommend is to go there early in the morning or book your place in advance - because they fill up at lightning speed.

8. Drink, drink, but don’t get drunk!

Due to the festival atmosphere and the beer flowing, it is very easy to lose control and drink too much. Every year, about 600-800 people are hospitalized due to alcohol poisoning.

7. Famous Oktoberfest workers

In our list of interesting facts about Oktoberfest, you will also read about... genius. Now Oktoberfest organizers are proud and boast that Albert Einstein once worked at the festival. The German genius worked as an electrician and beer tent builder at the end of the 19th century.

6. What kind of beer do they drink at Oktoberfest?

Ah, that sacred elixir - beer. Germans love their beer very much, and the Bavarians are no exception. Both lager and Märzenbier, all Oktoberfest beers are stronger (6-7%) than many other German beers.

5. Expensive beer

By the way, speaking of beer, a logical question arises: how much does it cost at Oktoberfest? Much more than you might think. One glass of beer in 2011 cost around 8.70-9.20 euros! That's over $10 a glass! (And, as you understand, prices rise every year). Moreover, despite such a high price tag, approximately 6 million liters of beer are drunk at each Oktoberfest (!).

4. Glass at Oktoberfest: Maß

So, although a glass of beer - there it is called Maßkrug - seems quite expensive, the following fact will reassure you a little: the glasses there are liter. Therefore, for a pint of beer (about half a liter) you will pay about 4.50-5 euros. Doesn't sound so scary anymore, does it?) Maß glasses are made of glass (as opposed to the clay beer mugs that usually go on sale), and you will actually be able to pour a full mug to the brim. Each glass belongs to a different brewery, and they take great care to ensure that no one accidentally takes it away ;). Therefore, if you want to buy such a mug as a souvenir, you should look for it somewhere in the stalls in the area.

3. Food at Oktoberfest

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Okay, so you drank a glass of beer on an empty stomach and you’re already drunk, right? So to avoid feeling sick, it's better to go for some traditional Oktoberfest food. Be sure to try the Hendl (fried chicken) - it is included in almost everything on the menu. In addition, Bratwurst (pork sausage), Schweinshaxen (pork knuckle) and Steckerlfisch (fried fish on a stick) will captivate you with their taste. And once you try it, you will never forget Brezn - warm and tasty German pretzels. Although the famous snack at the festival is sausages, in fact, much more fried chicken is eaten there - almost half a million kilograms at each festival.

2. The best souvenirs are free

Glass glasses are so popular among tourists that in 2010 alone, more than 130,000 beer mugs were confiscated by security guards from visitors trying to take away such a souvenir for free;).

1.How to get a place at Oktoberfest?

If you're planning to attend Oktoberfest next year, be sure to reserve your seats early! In order to reserve a place in the hotel and at the tables, you should contact one of the owners of the beer tents (and expect that there are at least 10 people at one table). Some groups book the same tables year after year, which further reduces your chances of finding suitable seats. Therefore, we recommend that you take care of this as early as possible!

For several days now, the most famous folk festival on the planet - Oktoberfest - has been taking place in Munich. Today we will tell you a little about this wonderful event, but before moving on to the “beer corpses” and “the most popular sport at Oktoberfest,” we suggest you familiarize yourself with its history and features.

History of Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest first took place on October 12, 1810 in honor of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig (future King Ludwig I) and Princess Theresa of Saxony-Hildburghaus (the meadow where the festival takes place is named after her). Initially, the holiday was organized and held privately. In 1819, the organization and management of the holiday was placed in the hands of the Munich city council. It was decided that Oktoberfest would be held every year without exception. In 1872, Oktoberfest was moved to the end of September - beginning of October, since at this time the weather in Munich was more comfortable than in mid-October. However, the last Sunday of the holiday must be in October. This tradition has survived to this day.

In 1881, the first chicken roaster opened, and in 1892, beer was first served in the now familiar glass mugs. Around the same time, the tents in which beer was sold took on the appearance that they have now. During the early Oktoberfest, the tents had even larger dance floors, bowling alleys and other attractions. All this was moved outside to give more space for visitors and musicians. In 1910, Oktoberfest celebrated its centenary. On this occasion, 1.2 million liters of beer were sold. In 1913, the largest tent in the history of the festival was erected with 12,000 seats (Bräurosl, now has about 6,000 seats; the largest tent to date - Hofbräu-Festhalle - has about 10,000 seats). Changes at Oktoberfest were also associated with the coming to power of the National Socialists. The display of various developmental defects, such as Siamese twins, incorrectly built people, etc., which had been practiced at the holiday for decades, was prohibited. Horse racing, which had previously faded more and more into the background, was resumed. In 1936-1938, the Bavarian blue and white flags that decorated the holiday were replaced by Nazi flags with a swastika.

From 1939 to 1945, Oktoberfest was not held due to World War II. Since 1950, there has been a tradition of starting the holiday with twelve shots into the sky from a cannon, as well as with the opening of the first barrel of festive beer by the mayor of Munich with the characteristic exclamation “O’zapft is!” (translated from Bavarian something like “Uncorked!”). This tradition was started by the mayor Thomas Wimmer. It took him 19 hits to open the barrel.

Holiday events

Procession of beer tent owners

In 1887 Theresa's meadow was located outside of Munich. For the first time, the owners of the tents and attractions made a joint trip from the city to the meadow to open the holiday together. Since then, the procession of the beer tent owners (German: Einzug der Wiesnwirte) has been the official opening of the holiday. Festive teams from all beer tents of the festival take part in the procession. The carts are equipped with barrels of beer, which is served in a corresponding tent.

Knocking the plug out of the first beer barrel

Knocking out the plug from the first beer barrel (German: Fassanstich) occurs after the procession of beer tent owners, at exactly 12:00. In the Schottenhamel-Festzelt tent, the current mayor of Munich knocks the plug out of the first barrel of Oktoberfest beer. This action is performed with the characteristic exclamation “O’zapft is!”, after which Oktoberfest is considered open. Every year there is anticipation to see how many blows it will take for the current burgomaster to open the barrel. The best result was achieved by Christian Uhde in 2006, opening the barrel with one blow.

Costume procession

The procession has been held annually since 1950 and has become one of the most important events of Oktoberfest, as well as one of the largest processions of its kind in the world. On the first Sunday of the holiday, about 8,000 people dressed in historical and national costumes walk along a 7-kilometer route from the Maximileaneum (the building of the Bavarian parliament) to Theresa's Meadow. This procession is also led by a Munich child, followed by representatives of the city government and the state government of Bavaria, usually the minister-president and his wife. The procession is attended by orchestras, shooting societies, national costume societies and about 40 festively decorated teams. Most of the groups and societies come from various Bavarian regions, but there are also representatives from Austria, Switzerland, northern Italy and other European countries.

Traditional costume of an Oktoberfest visitor

1. Bavarian style hat. Made from felt or suede, decorated with pheasant feathers or a tassel of boar hair.

2. Traditional Bavarian shirt. Typically a plain shirt in white, blue, red or green. Decorated with bone buttons or embroidery.

3. “Lederhosen” - leather work shorts, often also decorated with embroidery.

4. Golfs.

5. Leather boots. Ordinary work shoes, which are polished to a shine.

6. Scarf. The girls wear colorful scarves to contrast their dresses.

7. Blouse. There are both conservative and quite bold ones - everything is at the discretion of the girl.

8. Corsage. It can be either part of a skirt or a separate element.

9. Wide side skirt. Traditional Bavarian skirt with apron.

10. Leather shoes with rubber soles and heeled heels, which are made specifically for dancing.

11. Stein - special liter mugs.

Attractions

The festival has a variety of attractions - from traditional carousels, which you can ride for more than eighty years, to ultra-modern structures like roller coasters.

Some statistics

• Every year, Oktoberfest attracts about 6 million visitors, who drink about 6 million liters of beer and eat 500,000 fried chicken.
• Oktoberfest employs 12,000 people.
• The festival offers 100,000 seats for visitors.
• Six breweries have the right to take part in the holiday - Spaten, Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräuhaus, Löwenbräu, which sold 5 in 2004. 5 million liters of beer (6.1 in 2003).
• The holiday's turnover in 2006 amounted to 449 million euros.
• In 2006, holiday guests spent more than 500 million euros on hotel accommodation and public transport.
• The price of a liter of beer, as a rule, increases every year. So, in 2007 it ranged from 7.30 to 7.90 euros, and in 2008 from 7.80 to 8.30 euros.
• In 2007, 351 pickpockets were recorded, 99 fewer than in 2006.
• The volume of music in tents before 18:00 should not exceed 85 decibels.
• To supply the holiday with electricity, 18 transformers and 43 kilometers of electric cable are used.
• Energy consumption is approximately 3 million kilowatt-hours, which corresponds to approximately 13% of Munich's daily electricity consumption.
• A beer tent consumes about 400 kilowatt-hours, large attractions about 300.
• To supply the tents with gas, a four-kilometer network of gas pipes was laid.
• 200 thousand cubic meters of gas are consumed by kitchens and another 20 thousand are spent on heating beer gardens located in the open air.
• The volume of beer sold in a mug should not differ from 1 liter by more than a tenth. Compliance with this rule is monitored by a special society “Verein gegen betrügerisches Einschenken”.
• 830 toilets equipped with regular toilets and urinals with a total length of 750 meters are open to visitors. 17 specially equipped toilets are available for disabled people.

Problems

"Beer Corpses"

One of the problems of modern Oktoberfest is the excessive consumption of alcohol, in particular, that brought to the festival by its visitors. This problem especially affects young people, who are often not ready to buy fairly expensive beer and prefer to bring inexpensive and strong alcoholic drinks with them. The result of excessive alcohol consumption is the so-called “beer corpses”. They are collected into a Red Cross tent and brought to their senses there.

Stealing beer mugs

In recent years, beer mug theft (which is a criminal offense) has become such a big deal that it has become the most popular sport at Oktoberfest. For this reason, security personnel can check any suspicious visitors to see if they have taken mugs from the tents. In 2004, 210,000 mug thefts were prevented in this way.

At the end of the article, we offer you a small selection from Oktoberfest 2010.

One of the most famous festivals in the whole world called Oktoberfest has officially begun in the German city of Munich. While visitors to this annual celebration drink thousands of liters of beer, we would like to tell you the most interesting facts about Oktoberfest that will broaden your horizons. In 2018, the festival will last from September 22 to October 7.

And here's your first unusual fact: Oktoberfest starts in September. It often happens that out of the two weeks that the holiday lasts, only a couple of days fall in October. So it goes!

Over two weeks, Oktoberfest is visited by more than six million people. The record so far holds in 1985: then over seven million visitors visited Theresienwis Meadow in Munich.

By the way, why Teresa's Meadow? The fact is that the main beer festival owes its appearance not to the Bavarian national drink, but to the wedding of the future king of Bavaria, Crown Prince Ludwig I and Princess Theresa in October 1810.

The wedding of Ludwig and Teresa was celebrated for a whole week. The celebrations ended with demonstration horse races on antique chariots. 30,000 people gathered to see them - ¾ of the population of Munich in 1810!

The national holiday on the occasion of the wedding of the Bavarian heir to the throne was a great success! Therefore, the very next day the Bavarian king ordered to name the field where the races took place Theresienwiese Meadow and hold them every year. This is how Oktoberfest was born.

Over more than two centuries, Oktoberfest has been canceled or held very modestly 24 times. It was first canceled in 1813 due to the Napoleonic occupation, in 1873 due to cholera, in 1923 due to hyperinflation, and in 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 due to the world wars.

The traditions of modern Oktoberfest developed somewhere at the end of the 19th century. Then they decided to start the two-week holiday early, in September. All for the sake of warmer weather.

The bad news is that there are no more chariot rides at Oktoberfest. The good news is that the festival opens with a colorful procession in folk costumes and horse-drawn carts loaded with wooden beer barrels. In general, beauty!

Wooden barrels in 2018 serve more as decoration. Beer at Oktoberfest is stored in large metal tanks. And they even laid a 250-meter beer pipeline to the largest beer tent!

During Oktoberfest, about 15 large beer tents and another 20 smaller pavilions are erected in the meadow. They can accommodate almost 120 thousand guests at once!

Although Oktoberfest is considered an international holiday, the share of foreign guests is no more than 20 percent. The majority are Bavarians, residents of Munich and the surrounding area.

One billion euros is approximately what Oktoberfest visitors spend in Munich in two weeks. The money is spent on beer, fried chicken, sausages, hotels, taxis, public transport, shopping, souvenirs and entertainment.

Munich itself is an expensive city, but during Oktoberfest prices sometimes double. Last year the average price for a hotel room was 280 euros!

Beer at Oktoberfest is quite expensive: a liter mug will cost 11.5 euros! Well, or 10.7 euros - but you won’t be able to find cheaper beer in Teresa’s Meadow.

For Oktoberfest in Munich, they brew a special type of beer, a little stronger than the traditional one. One liter mug of this beer, according to local experts, is equivalent to eight shots of schnapps.

Oktoberfest guests drank a record amount of beer in 2014 - 7.7 million liters, that is, on average, 1.2 mugs per brother... sister, other family members and other visitors.

After the foam settles, do you need to top up the beer? Not at Oktoberfest! Here, the permitted underfill per liter mug is one hundred milliliters. Consumer rights advocates estimate that visitors pay €5.4 million for underfilled beer over a two-week period.

Very important information not only for Oktoberfest visitors. In Germany, the limit for drivers is 0.5 ppm. In the event of an accident, an aggravating factor is a level of 0.3 ppm of alcohol in the blood.

A total of about 13 thousand people work at Oktoberfest - waiters, bartenders, cooks, security guards, and attraction operators.

Each waiter walks, on average, about 10 kilometers per shift. On working days of the week he delivers about 100 liter mugs of beer, on weekends - up to 300 mugs. Plus other drinks and various dishes like fried chicken (10-12 euros each) and sausages (7-8 euros each)

At one time, waiters usually serve about 10-12 liter mugs. Moreover, an empty mug weighs at least 1.3 kilograms (there are more!) + a liter of beer in each. As a result, 27.6 kilograms - at one time!

Oliver Strumpfeld has been the champion waiter at Oktoberfest for many years. In 2017, he broke his own record. The official jury counted 29 full mugs weighing more than 70 kilograms. True, he knocked over two on the way.

The average salary of waiters for two weeks of hard work at Oktoberfest is about 5,500 euros, including tips.

Since 1956, a Catholic service has been held at Oktoberfest one morning, primarily for those who work here. Participants in the service can not only pray, but even... baptize children.

During Oktoberfest, a special post office is opened on Theresienwiese. In two weeks, visitors send about 130 thousand postcards, letters, parcels and parcels. How do you like this postcard from 1896?

Those who try to relieve themselves in the wrong place will face a fine of up to 1000 (!) euros at Oktoberfest. If you're lucky, it's only 100 euros, and you have to pay right away.

In 2017, approximately 7,000 guests sought medical attention during Oktoberfest. By the way, up to 15 doctors and 150 orderlies from the Red Cross are on duty in the meadow at the same time. This is what a first aid station looks like.

The number of patients with severe alcohol intoxication during Oktoberfest 2017 was 670 people, of which ten were teenagers under the age of 16. Most of these patients were able to leave the medical center within one to two hours.

This year, 23-year-old flight attendant Julia Prokopi from Nuremberg became the sex symbol of Oktoberfest. Two years ago, the girl won the title of the city's first beauty, and in September 2018 she appeared on the cover of Playboy.

Although you can buy a souvenir mug at souvenir stands, some Oktoberfest visitors try to take theirs away from the tent for free. Approximately 120-130 thousand times during the holiday, such attempts are prevented by security guards.