Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest in Munich typically runs for 16 to 18 days, starting in mid-September and ending on the first Sunday of October. The festival begins on the Saturday after September 15 and always ends on the first Sunday of October or October 3 (German Unity Day), whichever is later.

Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volk (folk) festival, held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It originated in 1810 as a celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Today it attracts approximately 6 million visitors and features beer tents, traditional music, food, and rides.

The original Oktoberfest is held in Munich, Germany, and is celebrated across Germany as a cultural festival. German communities worldwide hold their own Oktoberfest events, notably in the United States, Brazil (particularly Blumenau), Canada, Australia, and many other countries with German diaspora.

Oktoberfest is not a public holiday in Germany. Schools and most businesses remain open during the festival. However, many Munich locals and businesses do take time off to attend the festivities, and October 3 (German Unity Day), which can overlap with the festival's end, is a national public holiday.

Oktoberfest traditions include drinking Märzen or Wiesn beer served in one-liter steins in massive decorated tents, wearing traditional Bavarian clothing (dirndl for women and lederhosen for men), eating traditional foods such as pretzels, roasted chicken, sausages, and ox, dancing to oompah brass band music, and riding fairground attractions.