Everyone knows that Oktoberfest has German roots, but few people know the history behind the annual celebration that is now replicated worldwide. With ourHempler’s heritage dating back to the 1800’s in Borken, Germany, Oktoberfest naturally holds a special place in our hearts. To learn more about the history and tradition that extends beyond the simple consumption of beer and sausages, here’s a brief history of the festival, along with a glimpse of what it looks like today.
The First Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest’s roots can be traced back to 1810 in Munich, which is in the Bavarian region of Germany. On October 12th of that year, the future King Ludwig got married and invited the entire city to attend the celebration, which included a large feast and horse races.
It was such a hit that they decided to repeat the horse races the following year, and the tradition of an annual October gathering – now known as Oktoberfest – was born.
The Growth of Oktoberfest
In the early years, an agricultural fair was added to the horse races to help boost the economy. By the end of the 1800’s a carnival aspect was added to the gathering, which made the event more attractive to families. Over time the horse races stopped, but the event continued to grow. As for Oktoberfest’s association with beer, the early gatherings were peppered with beer stands but in 1896 they were replaced with large brewery-sponsored beer tents.
Oktoberfest Today
While Oktoberfest celebrations are popular around the world, the original Oktoberfest continues on in Munich. And despite its name, it actually starts on a mid-September Saturday, runs for 16 days, and ends on the first Sunday in October.
The current iteration of Oktoberfest is a celebration of German culture, food, and (of course) beer. The only beer served at the event comes from the original 6 breweries in Munich, and the celebration gets kicked off with the mayor tapping the keg in as few swings of the hammer as possible.
Besides the food and beer, the festival is full of traditional Bavarian music, open-air performances, a grand entry and parades, vendor tents, carnival rides, a shooting competition, and traditional German outfits. The two-week fair wraps up in dramatic fashion with a boisterous brass band and a gun salute.
Oktoberfest is a fun celebration of German heritage and we’re proud to be able to bring some of that heritage to you in our family’s legacy and products. To help make your own celebration taste authentic, check out our fresh, all natural bratwurst, our smoked bratwurst, our German sausage, or our summer sausage.
If you can’t make it to Oktoberfest, we can help bring the flavors of Oktoberfest to you!
FAQs
Here are a few must-try foods that make it onto the Oktoberfest food menu.
- Pork Shank (Schweinshaxe) ...
- Knödel. ...
- Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Panckaes) ...
- Bratwurst. ...
- Käsespätzle (German Cheese Spaetzle) ...
- Kasbrettl. ...
- Wiesnhendl or Halbes Hendl (Roast Chicken) ...
- Bretzeln (pretzels)
Oktoberfest's roots can be traced back to 1810 in Munich, which is in the Bavarian region of Germany. On October 12th of that year, the future King Ludwig got married and invited the entire city to attend the celebration, which included a large feast and horse races.
What are 2 things that visitors to the Oktoberfest can do besides eating and drinking? ›
5 Things to do at Oktoberfest (Other Than Drinking in the Tents)
- Attend the Traditional Oktoberfest Ceremonies.
- Beyond the Beer, Try all of the Foods.
- Ride the Rides & Play Carnival Games.
The original Oktoberfest was, in fact, held in October—on October 17, 1810, to be exact, in honor of the nuptials a few days earlier of Bavarian crown prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.
What food to expect at Oktoberfest? ›
Our Top 10 things to eat at Oktoberfest
- SCHWEINSHAXE aka Pork Knuckle. ...
- Hendle aka Roast Chicken. ...
- Brezel aka Pretzels. ...
- BRATWURST MIT SAUERKRAUT AKA GERMAN SAUSAGE WITH PICKLED CABBAGE. ...
- Steckerlfisch aka fish on a stick. ...
- Ochsenbraten aka Roast Ok. ...
- Spätzle aka The German Mac and cheese.
The main meal of the day is das Mittagessen, or lunch. The tradition is to have a hot meal during lunch. Sauerbraten, snitzels, Frikadellen (German meatballs), potatoes (such as Kartoffelsalat), green beans, soups, and stews are frequently served for lunch.
Is Oktoberfest worth it if you don't drink? ›
Are you going to Oktoberfest for the first time, but not sure what you'll do there because you don't drink beer? Worry not! I don't drink beer either, so I was also concerned about whether a non-beer drinker can really enjoy Oktoberfest. Short answer: you absolutely can!
What is the most important thing on Oktoberfest? ›
Beer Tents
One of the most important things about Oktoberfest are the tents (which are more like permanent looking warehouses than tents). There are fourteen of them scattered around the fair grounds, mostly along the main avenue. Every tent has a different personality.
Can you only drink beer at Oktoberfest? ›
What to drink? Beer, of course. All the beer that is served at the Oktoberfest comes from famous Munich breweries, such as Paulaner and Augustiner. If you don't like one of Germany's favorite beverages, you can also get all kinds of other drinks, including non-alcoholic beverages, wine and cider.
What do Germans yell at Oktoberfest? ›
O'zapft is, in particular, is the most iconic of Oktoberfest sayings. This is the cry you will here once the Mayor of Munich has tapped the ceremonial keg, thus kicking off the entire two-week-long event.
If you want to fit in with the locals, DON'T call it Oktoberfest. Instead, you go to the “Wies'n”. This is actually a nickname for the place where Oktoberfest is actually held - Theresienwiese in central Munich.
What is the nickname for Oktoberfest? ›
These became Munich's festival grounds, where Oktoberfest is hosted each year today and gave the Oktoberfest its famous nickname “Wies'n”, Bavarian for “meadow” and short for “Theresienwiese”.
Do they serve anything other than beer at Oktoberfest? ›
What to drink? Beer, of course. All the beer that is served at the Oktoberfest comes from famous Munich breweries, such as Paulaner and Augustiner. If you don't like one of Germany's favorite beverages, you can also get all kinds of other drinks, including non-alcoholic beverages, wine and cider.
What are traditional German foods? ›
Of all these regional and national dishes, Germany is most famous for Currywurst, sausages, pretzels and Black Forest Gateau, but as you can see, there is plenty more to German cuisine than just these.
What is the German national dish? ›
Sauerbraten (pronounced [ˈzaʊ̯ɐˌbʁaːtn̩]) is a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat. It is regarded as a national dish of Germany, and is frequently served in German-style restaurants internationally.
