October 12, 1810: A Royal Wedding Sparks Oktoberfest
Every autumn, millions of visitors gather in Munich, Germany, for Oktoberfest, one of the world's best-known folk festivals. The tradition traces back to October 12, 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, who later became King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The people of Munich were invited to celebrate with the royal couple at festivities held in a meadow just outside the city gates.
A meadow named for a bride
The celebration ended with a horse race on October 17. The field where it took place was named Theresienwiese, or Therese's meadow, in honor of the bride, and locals still call the festival grounds the Wiesn for short. The horse race was so popular that it was repeated the following year, and an agricultural show was added to support Bavarian farming. Over the decades, food stalls, music, carnival rides, and beer tents joined the program, and the party grew bigger with each generation.
From a wedding to a world tradition
Over time the festival moved earlier in the calendar, because evenings in September are warmer and longer than those in mid October. Today it begins in September and ends in early October. The opening is traditionally marked by the mayor of Munich tapping the first keg and calling out O'zapft is, which means it is tapped.
Oktoberfest has paused during hard times, including wars, epidemics, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and each time it has returned. Traditional Bavarian clothing such as dirndls and lederhosen, along with pretzels, roast chicken, and brass band music, are all part of the experience. Many cities around the world now hold their own Oktoberfest-style celebrations, all inspired by one wedding party in Munich more than two centuries ago.