Oktoberfest History

I hate to be that guy, but a quick internet search will tell you all you need to know

 

Wikipedia has it mostly right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oktoberfest

 

Yeah, Wikipedia has a pretty decent rundown on the history.

 

There are plenty of fun videos on youtube as well. If you ever get a chance I'd definitely recommend you go.

 

Related, I'd love a history of the beer served at the festival. That could include the breweries that are/were invited and (roughly) what the Maerzens they were serving was like. We've seen the beer change over the last 30'ish years. I'd love to know what it was like going back a bit further if anyone has something handy.

 

Oktoberfest was on my bucket list until I read that Adidas was coming out with a beer- and vomit-proof shoe in time for last year's festival. I've decided that if this is a legitimate concern, I want no part of it.

Prost! (in absentia)

 

A long long time ago in a country pretty far away inhabited by a shit ton of beer drinkers. There was a king or a prince or some shit, he met some babe, they shacked up. The towns folk brewed up some super tight lagers in anticipation and then a few months later in late september…ish, they made it legal and the whole region went apeshit slamming a totally crushable batch of beer. Maybe too few people showed up or its also possible that they brewed too much beer but either way it lasted two weeks. We've been celebrating the anniversary every year since with no sign of letting up.

octoberfest.

 

Do you work for the TV show Drunk History!?!

Cheers!

 

Lemme fix that for you: @patto1ro

I believe that was somewhat of a joke -- yeah, there are plenty of over-served customers, but I rarely saw it get terribly out of hand... or messy.

 

At €200 per pair of vomit-proof shoes, it doesn't sound like "somewhat of a joke" to me. You guys go ahead and enjoy yourselves. I'll pass.

 

Many Germans pass on Oktoberfest celebrations for the same reason and because these days there are more tourists at Oktoberfest than Germans.

But, you can go to Munich at any other time to enjoy the biergartens and famous beer halls without hordes tourists; and you can sit at the long tables with actual Germans, who are very friendly and likely will talk to you.

 

Never been to Oktoberfest, but plenty of friends have. This is entirely anecdotal, but it does sound like tourists outnumber the locals. At least in certain tents and/or at certain times. It also sounds like some people get pretty drunk, although I can't imagine it being much crazier than GABF or similar big American festivals. One of these days I'll have to go. If for no other reason than to say I've been. Plus, it's still Munich. I know it pretty well at this point and it's a city I love spending time in.

 

I have attended a number of GABF events and to my mind one of the benefits is that it is a limited timeframe event (a little over 4 hours per session). As I understand it the Oktoberfest session is an all day thing (morning till evening).

If I were to attend an Oktoberfest session my 'plan' would be to go earlier (i.e., before noon) with the intention to leave earlier (perhaps around 4-5). My guess is that things get crazier in the evenings (especially for those folks who try to drink all day).

Cheers!

 

Yup, the main GABF event is only 4'ish hours. These days with so many surrounding events (like Rare Beer, WTF, and the Falling Rock releases), it's a little more attrition-based. Especially over the source of a week. Last year there were something like 100 separate events from Thursday through Saturday. Some are obviously bigger than others, though. I tend to limit myself to one event per day, but it isn't unusual for people to be in rough shape in the line to get into GABF.

For Oktoberfest, I'd follow the same plan as you. With a little jet lag, I'm usually up at the crack of dawn in Germany to begin with. I'd probably be one of the first people in the tent and I'd hopefully be gone by 5.

 

That fact that your even partially correct blows my mind.

 

The price of the sneaks is as much of a joke as the marketing campaign -- which was my original reference.

Me, I'll never pass up the opportunity to visit the Fest, but I'll be wearing my hikers. Again.

 

Yep. Depends on when you go; during the week, during the day, certain tents. I made more German friends than tourist friends at the Fests I attended. And never had to "watch my step."

 

Love my Adidas Oktoberfest sneakers, very comfortable. One if the best beer related purchases I've made.