Oktoberfest is a 16-day German festival running from the end of September to early October. The two biggest festivals are held in Munich and Stuttgart. Beer, bratwurst and music are all essential parts of an Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest was initially a wedding celebration, where King Ludwig I of Bavaria threw a huge party of food and beer for all his loyal subjects just so that his people could enjoy and share his happiness on being married in October 1810. The party was such an overwhelming success that it soon became an annual event.
The Oktoberfest held in Munich is patronized by as many as six million people annually. At this time, the town is taken over by around three dozen or so tents, some as large as circus-sized tents with a capacity of around 5,000 people. Each tent belongs to a local brewer serving beer only of that particular label, while heaps of food and entertainment are also part of proceedings. Some of the most famous breweries in Munich include Löwenbräu, Spaten, Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr.
A family affair by day, Oktoberfest features a multitude of performances and other entertainment acts for kids as well as numerous rides and activities. By night, the party takes on a more serious ‘party hard’ note and the crowds are huge.
Beer during the Oktoberfest is in two flavors. One of them is called Pils also known as Helles, meaning ‘light’ in German. The darker version of it is called Dunkel – which in German, means ‘dark’. A special brew during Oktoberfest, Wiesnbier is far darker than Dunkel – and is sometimes mixed up with Weissbier, which is a light summer wheat beer usually served with a lemon wedge.