It has long been since just the residents of Bavaria counted the days until September: what began as a wedding celebration has grown into the famous Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival, complete with one-litre beer mugs, Bavarian oompah-pah music and lederhosen.
A procession of horse-drawn carriages laden with beer kegs announces the start of the annual beer festival at the end of September. Lords and brewers proudly accompany the procession to their beer tents on the Theresienwiese. Dressed in lederhosen, the mayor of Munich kicks off the festival by serving the first beer. After his promising remark of “O’ Zapft is!”, which roughly translates as “the keg is open”, the endless stream of beer starts to flow.
The Oktoberfest evolved from the wedding celebration of Bavarian King Ludwig and Princess Therese in 1810. These days, the event begins in September as the weather is a little bit milder. The celebration is filled with traditions. The golden Oktoberfest beer, served in a ‘Maß’ or a one-litre mug, is accompanied by snacks such as pretzels and 'Hendl', roasted chicken. In the party tents, brass bands play Bavarian music.