Octoberfest

 Octoberfest!  Tuesday Sept 26 

I didn’t have to meet my Rick Steves tour group until 4 pm on Tuesday.   Since I had all day and it was official Octoberfest time…….when in Rome…..I met up with a tour group that brings you through Octoberfest and shows you around the grounds, then brings you into one of the big beer tents to let you see what the party is all about.  

A little background,  the original Oktoberfest took place in 1810. That festival was actually a celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen.  Every year since then, except 2020 and 2021 (due to Covid), also not in 1939-1945 (WWII) or 1914-1918 (I’ll let you figure out why), a celebration was held in the same place and was most often called Octoberfest.  It is approximately 16 days long and ends on either the 1st Sunday in October or October 3, whichever is later.   I have no clue why it is not called Septemberfest!!!!  

This festival is like a county fair on steroids!  Tons of rides, games, all kinds of foods, shops and of course beer halls. Apparently you need to reserve your table at a beer hall well in advance - who knew.  Octoberfest 2023 is on track to make over 1.6 billion (I think in profit, but I am not sure).

One last fact about it. To be one of the 6(soon to be 7) beers served at Octoberfest, the main brewery must be located in Munich and must adhere to the beer purity laws.  German law dictates that the ingredients for beer must be water, barley malt and hops. You also don’t get a choice of beer in the halls.  It is their Octoberfest beer only!  Most of these beers now ship outside of the country, but they add preservatives in those, and only one is still locally owned by a local family.  Enough about beer for now, enjoy my pictures from  Octoberfest.  They are in no particular order   

Ps.  I am so sorry that I did not get a picture of myself in a dirndl!  I promise, I looked very authentic! 

Cheers! 

The ride in the background is the oldest ride on the fairgrounds. It spins until the last person falls off.  After a while, they try to knock you off and then lasso you off!  It is super fun to watch. 

More rides

A beer hall at 10am.  It just opened and no one is there yet

Another beer hall

Me, enjoying the festivities 

Lowenbrau lion.  He roared as he spun around. 

The sign under cupids arrow says “ you can go there if you have to”.   It is of course for the water closet.  

Scary carnival ride.  

L

Another beer hall.  At this point I hadn’t had a drink, but you can see some of my dress.  

Note the 3 maypoles in front of the beer hall.  Octoberfest crowds.

You guessed it.  Another beer hall. 

Finally, our beer hall - Hofbrau House Tent!  All the breweries had a team of horse like this out front.  The rest of the pictures are from the party inside.  “A great time was had by all!”