What is the origin of Oktoberfest

On October 12, 1810, the wedding of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Theresa of Saxony took place in Munich, and the entire city was invited to the gates to attend the royal ceremony. The ceremony was followed by a horse race in which members of the royal family took part, which was the climax of the festivities. The horse races were later retained as part of the Oktoberfest tradition.

Continuation of Oktoberfest in 1811

In 1811, after the horse races, a new attraction, the Agricultural Exhibition, was held for the first time at Oktoberfest, with the aim of promoting Bavarian agriculture. Horse racing, the oldest and most popular event of its time, is no longer held, but the Agricultural Show has survived to this day and is held every three years on the south side of the entire grounds.

More to come

The first Oktoberfest tours were few and far between, and the first carnival reception was held in 1818, with two swings set up so guests could quench their thirsts with a drink in front of a small beer stand. As the number of beer stalls grew, in 1896 tents replaced stalls for the first time in the fairgrounds, while the other side of the grounds became a fun-filled parade. By 1870, as the German open-air trade continued to expand, Oktoberfest expanded rapidly.