Here's What The First Oktoberfest Looked Like In 1810

Not that we're picking sides, but fall has the best holidays hands down. One of our favorites is Oktoberfest, and 2024's installment is sure to be a banger. While we're enjoying ourselves out in the sunshine drinking brews and eating schnitzel, we'll be celebrating the 19th century Germans that made the event possible.

The very first Oktoberfest took place in Munich, Germany on October 12, 1810. It was initially a wedding celebration put together for Crown Prince Ludwig (who would later go on to become King Ludwig I) and his wife Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The celebration lasted for five full days and included a horse race, lots of food, live music, and plenty of wine and beer. It's not entirely clear what type of beer the first celebrants were drinking, but modern Oktoberfest beers have a unique flavor profile compared to other popular styles.

The city enjoyed itself so much that everyone came back again at the same time the next year. The 1811 Oktoberfest was held by The Bavarian Agricultural Association as a way to promote its accomplishments in the form of an agricultural fair. The 1813 celebration of Oktoberfest was canceled as the Germans (technically Prussians at this point in history) went to war against Napoleon's forces, which they successfully pushed back that very year.

As time moved on, Oktoberfest grew and evolved into what we see in the 21st century. The traditional Bavarian clothing, fun festival games, and a larger focus on beer became synonymous with the celebration. The festival remained relatively small until roughly the turn of the 20th century, when large beer tents were introduced. In 1910, 100 years after the very first Oktoberfest, there was a total of 120,000 liters of beer poured for participants, according to Oktoberfest Tours. Tents got bigger, crowds got larger, and eventually, it became a global phenomenon.

The celebrations today don't have all that much to do with early 19th century German royalty, but Oktoberfest is still a celebration of German culture and all of the delicious brews and pretzels that come with it. For the real experience, you'll want to travel to Munich for Oktoberfest. For those of you staying in the States, there are a number of excellent Oktoberfest celebrations around the country for you to choose from.