“O’zapft ist!” (It’s tapped!)

Written by United Planet Team Member Alyssa
All photos taken from Flickr user tiendatleoktoberfest

These are words that millions of partygoers wait an entire year to hear. Finally, Oktoberfest has begun.

From the third weekend in September to the beginning of October the people of Theresienwiese, Munich celebrate the festival of Oktoberfest. In 1810, the people of Bavaria celebrated in a grand matter with horse races and feasts to toast the nuptials of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig. The reception was so popular that the people began to repeat the event year after year creating the festival that occurs today. Beginning with the Brewer’s Parade, the participants of this festival follow “The Lord Mayor” through the city center from Sonnenstrasse to the meadow in which the festival is held at Thereisienwiesse. Fortunately, for people who also have difficulty with pronunciation the meadow also holds the nickname “d’Wiesn,” which is pronounced “dee-veezen” in German.

After “The Lord Mayor” taps the first barrel of beer in the opening ceremony over 6.5 million liters of beer are consumed. To make things easy for those who have already had a few steins, only one type of beer is sold throughout all of Oktoberfest appropriately named ‘Oktoberfest-Bier’. To be served you must be seated inside one of the many large tents; drinks can only be paid for using special tokens also sold in the tents. Along with large amounts of beer consumed, Oktoberfest also goes through 500,000 chickens, 104 oxen, and more than 50,000 pork knuckle servings throughout the event.

For those interested in something other than beer consumption there are many other things to see at the festival. From roller coasters to flea circuses, magicians, and live music there is something for the whole family. Employing more than 10,000 people, this is no small event. Oktoberfest has its own police force, child care center, post office, sewage system, and U-Bahn terminal.

Although the festival is almost over this year, for those hoping to experience Oktoberfest next year count on planning months in advance as many hotels book up very quickly. And for those of you with children, Tuesday is family day and there are reduced prices on all sideshows and rides.

And finally, to all of the merry festivalgoers currently at Oktoberfest, “Prost!” or “Cheers!”