Global InformationOktoberfest information
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| Oktoberfest | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observed by | Munich, Bavaria |
| Type | National |
| Celebrations | Parades, food, music, drinking |
| 2023 date | 16 September |
| 2024 date | 21 September |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Oktoberfest celebrations |
Oktoberfest (German pronunciation: [ɔkˈtoːbɐˌfɛst] ⓘ; Bavarian: Wiesn, Oktobafest) is the world's largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival, and is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, from mid- or late-September to the first Sunday in October, with more than six million international and national visitors attending the event. Locally, it is called d'Wiesn, after the colloquial name for the fairgrounds, Theresienwiese. Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations that are modeled after the original Munich event.
During the event, large quantities of Oktoberfest Beer are consumed: in 2014, 7.7 million litres (2,000,000 US gal) were served.[1][2] Visitors also enjoy numerous attractions, such as amusement rides, side stalls, and games. There is also a wide variety of traditional foods available.
Oktoberfest originally took place in the 16-day period leading up to the first Sunday in October. In 1994, this longstanding schedule was modified in response to German reunification. As a result, if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or the 2nd, then the festival runs until 3 October (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival now runs for 17 days when the first Sunday is 2 October and 18 days when it is 1 October. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October (4 October), to mark the event's bicentennial.
- ^ "Oktoberfest Beer Consumption". 19 October 2014.
- ^ "Oktoberfest in Munich: poured amount of beer 2020". Statista. Retrieved 8 April 2022.