The Munich Oktoberfest is the largest public festival in the world. This year, the "Wiesn" - as it is known by the locals - will be celebrated by more than 6 million people, who will consume 5 million liters of beer, 500,000 roasted chickens, more than 800,000 wursts & sausages, and thousands of pounds of mandelin (almonds covered in melted sugar).

This nearly 200 year old event began not as a festival, but as a public celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (later to become King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen of Saxonia. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend their marriage, which took place on October 12th, 1810 in a large meadow in front of the city gates.  This meadow was later named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's fields" or "Wiesn") - in honor of the Crown Princess. The festivities included the re-enactment of a traditional Bavarian horse race, music, dancing, and plenty of food & beer. As yearly anniversary celebrations continued and grew in popularity, Ludwig decided to issue a royal decree making October festival time in Munich. Later, as immigrants from Germany came to North America, they continued their Oktoberfest celebrations and traditions, and today, the Oktoberfest is celebrated in more than 1,000 U.S. towns and communities.

German-American Festival 2008 - Parma, Ohio
www.fogas.org

 

June 28th - June 29th

 

 

 

Alpine Oktoberfest - Honesdale, Pennsylvania
31st Annual
www.thealpineonline.com
August 15th - August 17th
 
German-American Festival - Oregon, Ohio
www.gafsociety.org/fest.htm

 

August 22nd - August 24th

 

 

 

Mt. Angel Oktoberfest - Oregon
43rd Annual
www.oktoberfest.org

 

September 11th - September 14th

 

 

 

Torrance Oktoberfest - California
40th Annual
www.alpinevillage.net/oktoberfest.htm
September 12th - October 19th
 
Big Bear Oktoberfest - California
38th Annual
www.bigbearlakeoktoberfest.com

 

Weekends
September 13
th - October 25th

 

 

 

Frankenmuth Oktoberfest - Michigan
19th Annual
www.frankenmuthfestivals.com
September 18th - September 21st
 
Irondequoit Oktoberfest - New York
21st Annual
www.irondequoit.org/events/oktober.htm
September 12th - September 15th
September 19th - September 21st
 
Cincinnati Oktoberfest - Ohio
33rd Annual
www.oktoberfest-zinzinnati.com
September 20th - September 21st
 
Munich Oktoberfest - Germany
175th
www.oktoberfest.de
September 20th - October 5th
 
La Crosse Oktoberfest - Wisconsin
48th Annual
www.oktoberfestusa.com

 

September 26th - October 4th

 

 

 

Fredericksburgh Oktoberfest - Texas
28th Annual
www.oktoberfestinfbg.com
October 3rd - October 5th
 
Ocean City Oktoberfest - Maryland
27th Annual
www.oceanpromotions.info

 

October 10th - October 12th

 

 

 

Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest - Ontario
40th Annual
www.oktoberfest.ca
October 10th - October 18th
 
Tulsa Oktoberfest - Oklahoma
30th Annual
www.tulsaoktoberfest.org
October 16th - October 19th


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This page was last updated on Tuesday, May 27, 2008