Why Oktoberfest is in September and Other Facts

By Anna Shvets on October 14, 2013

Two weeks ago, the German Village Society organized the Columbus Oktoberfest. I’ve been at other Oktoberfests before–all in Ohio. Sadly, I have never been to the real Bavarian Oktoberfest. American Oktoberfests are curious mixes of German and American cultures, with bits of Italian food and Native American decorations mixed in. As a casual aficionado of German culture, I took it upon myself to research the different quirks of this holiday.

Bear with octopus on its head/bear with octopus on its head with balloons and party stuff.

Oktoberfest, not octobearfest. (artist unknown)

People are usually confused by the dates of the Oktoberfest, thinking that it’s just American towns that get it wrong by holding celebrations in September. Indeed, the original Oktoberfest took place in the five days leading up to October 12, the date of the royals’ wedding. A few years later, however, Oktoberfest was moved to September for its nicer weather. The official Oktoberfest now lasts for sixteen days before the first Sunday in October (for example, Oktoberfest 2013 lasted from September 21 to October 6). Of course, other cities’ Oktoberfests can be anytime in September and October.

Oktoberfest shares a similar fate with St Patrick’s Day and Cinco De Mayo: their original causes have been eclipsed by beer. The first Oktoberfest festival was in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese. Beer was not a part of Oktoberfest until 1818.

Nowadays, Oktoberfest actually is about beer. Based on what I’ve heard, Munich’s Oktoberfest weekends make football game nights on High Street look like a sobriety convention.

The Oktoberfest beer, called Marzen, is darker and stronger than most other beers. Before electric refrigeration, the best way to preserve beer over the summer was to brew strong beer in the early spring, when the weather is still cool. In Munich, only six breweries are allowed to make Oktoberfest beer; in America, those beers are commonly served at local Oktoberfests.

Of course, beer isn’t the only attraction. The original Oktoberfest’s main attraction was a horse race; now, the attractions include games, competitions, flea markets and mechanical rides. In the background, bands play oompah music (tuba-based music resembling waltz) and covers of modern hits.

File:Muenchen-Oktoberfest-bjs2005-02.jpg

Olympia Looping, the largest portable roller coaster and largest ride at the Munich Oktoberfest. (Wikipedia)

The Bavarian Oktoberfest fare includes foods like saerkraut, wurst, roasted nuts, potato salad and chicken legs. American Oktoberfests, in my experience, include all of those, as well as traditional American carnival foods such as nachos and funnel cake.

And of course we can’t forget the liederhosen and the dirndl–the Austrian/Bavarian national dress worn by the Oktoberfest staff and the most devoted attendants. The dirndl and the lederhosen (dress and leather pants respectively) used to be worn by peasants in Bavaria and Austria. From the end of the 19th century and onward, the dirndl and the lederhosen started being worn as festival clothes rather than everyday clothes.

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Dirdndl and liederhosen. (zingarate.com)

Locals have different views of Oktoberfest. According to a friend who lives near Munich, the official Oktoberfest is a “tourist trap.” He says that local town volkfests are better because they are less ridiculous and more authentic. In America, Oktoberfests seem to be family-oriented; few people get drunk and many children and families are seen running around. Whichever Oktoberfest you are bound for–the official Munich one or one of the thousands of local ones–this holiday is a fun event to tide you over between Labor Day and Halloween.

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