Oktoberfest, facts and figures

The Oktoberfest is known as the Largest Volksfest (People's Fair) in the World. Beginning with the first celebration in 1810 out on the 'Theresienwiese' site, today up to 6 million visitors come to celeberate.







Along with the ferris wheel and amuzement park attractions, 14 non permanent beer tents are set up on the 104 acres fairgrounds holding up to 100 000 seats. There is obviously a party atmosphere everywhere, and I must say, that although I hate amuzement parks, I do enjoy being in the tents ,it must be due to the 'Oompah band':-) But don't be fooled, it's very difficult to get inside, most visitors have reserved in adavance. If you are even lucky to get inside, don't be surprised to be sitted with other people on the benches ...but it won't be long before you are all up and 'drinking songs' in any language!





I wasn't able to download I video I had taken, so this will have to do.!




consumed (* based on last year)
Beer: appr. 69.406 hectolitres
Wine: 79.624 litres
Sparkling wine: 32.047 litres
Coffee, tea: 222.725 litres
Water, lemonade: 909.765 1/2 litres
Chicken: 521.872 units
Pork sausages: 142.253 pairs
Fish: 38.650 kg
Pork knuckles(yuk) 58.446 units
Oxen: 104 units


A Maß (pronounced mass)1 liter stein, goes for 8.80€, and it's sidekick, the large, doughy pretzels calls Brez'n — are sold from stands everywhere. Note that the heavy use of salt is no accident; after a few bites you'll want to drink more beer!

And just when you think, that things must get out of hand here, with all the alcohol, low and behold, the police, or as they say here POLIZEI, have their own tent, but it's permanent. (actually a nice piece of architecture)




The fact that it's called Oktoberfest and starts in September, well that's just logical: it's warmer and chances are you will want to drink more beer,PROST!

Tradition Thrives

200 years of tradition, in other words, Oktoberfest. It all began with a wedding, the royal wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on 12th October 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's fields") in honor of the Crown Princess ever since, although the locals simply refer to it as the "Wies'n". At that time, horse races marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. A good time was had by all, so that they decided to repeat it annually.


Gradually with time, along with the agricultural fair, beer was introduced so visitors could quench their thirst and in 1896 the beer stands were replaced by the first beer tents and halls set up by enterprising landlords with the backing of the breweries. The rest of the grounds were occupied by amuzement (carrousels , rides, swings etc).

The festivties begin with a weekend filled with parades, the first being the Grand entry of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries where decorated carriages, the magnificent horse-drawn drays of the Munich breweries, waitresses on decorated floats and all the beer tent bands parade.











And G. would like to point out that they (the people on the floats) are not pretending to drink their beer at 10am!


The following day , Oktoberfest Costume and Riflemen's Parade and almost everyone is out in their drindl and lederhosen (I will explain the clothes in another post)






M. and her carriage!











M and I cheering on...God save the queen, and princess for that matter!