As we happen upon the month of October, towns and cities all over the world host the ubiquitous Oktoberfest. Munich has claim to the world’s largest and original celebration, with over 7 million people in attendance for the 2 week long event starting in September and ending in early October. Kicking this folk festival off is the official opening of the first keg, which started in 1810. Each year a special beer is produced that represents this annual event, and has a higher alcohol content than all the others.
There are huge bier tents that can fit many thousands of visitors from all over the world, and some of the finest brews anywhere are made and sold. Munich’s Oktoberfest also has specialty tables that have souvenirs with many ornate steins and other beer related paraphernalia, food, and a enormous fair. You will also find world famous Bavarian pretzels everywhere, and fantastic parades that are led by huge horses pulling unimaginable sized kegs. It really is a bit of an intoxicating circus.
In the US, a much smaller, but no less merry La Crosse Oktoberfest started in Wisconsin in the early 1960’s. With it’s significant German population, this is considered one of the few authentic old world festivals in America, and it tries to mimic the Munich happenings with the music, brats and beer.
Cincinnati, Ohio, also boasts a large Oktoberfest festival that began in the mid-1970’s and claims to have over half a million guests in attendance. Traditional German food vendors do brisk business here, and offer the usual pickings and some more unusual fare such as pig’s feet, pig tail and sauerkraut balls.
Other smaller versions of this feast exist in areas such as Fremont, CA, which in typical California fashion has a 5k Run (with some bold joggers chugging their beer all the way), beer gardens and a vast array of foods and German goods for sale. Denver, Colorado, also kicks an homage to Munich with their nearly 40 year old Larimer Square event. They do a wonderful job of keeping the German heritage as authentic as possible, and are not left behind in terms of tremendous food options and traditional traveling German music troupe’s that are the real deal.
Other parts of the world are also no strangers to their version of Oktoberfest as well. La Fiesta Nacional de Cerveza (The Nation Beer Festival) in Villa General Belgrano, Argentina, is swarmed by Germans for 2 weeks and has amazing beer exhibitions, dancing and parades. The area has been hosting the event since the early 1960’s because the mountainous region with its many lakes and rivers has a similar appearance to Germany, and is the reason why so many of them flocked there to ultimately live. Luckily for the Argentinians, who also love to party, they brought their Oktoberfest with them.
Don’t hesitate to check out your local biergarten festivities where you live. Though it may not be Munich officially, you may have a hard time telling the difference after a few beers. Cheers!