Oktoberfest

The Oktoberfest (also called Wiesn) is a German festival that takes place on the Theresienwiese, a public place in the center of Munich, Bavaria. It is every year, in late September and early October. It is a big social event. There is lots of eating and drinking. It is on for sixteen days ending on the first Sunday in October. If this is the first or the second the festival is extended to the end on 3 October, the Day of German Unity. This is the day when East Germany and West Germany joined into one country again in 1990.

History
The first Oktoberfest was on 12 October 1810. The feast was for the wedding of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The feast lasted for 5 days. There was music, eating and drinking. At the end of it there was a big horse-race. The next years they had this horse-race and the feast again, because the people had liked it so much.

On 26 September 1980, a right-wing lone wolf terrorist killed 12 people and himself using a bomb.

Today
Today the Oktoberfest is the world's largest fair, and it has become very famous and popular. About six million people visit it every year. Many people and tourists from all over the world come to Munich for Oktoberfest. Other cities have copied the Oktoberfest, and now they also hold feasts that are similar to the Oktoberfest.

One of the famous attractions is a big dipper called the "Wilde Maus" which means "Wild mouse" in English.

The tents
There are 14 main tents at the Oktoberfest.
 Name  Brewery  Seating inside  outside Hippodrom  Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu  3,200  1,000 Armbrustschützenzelt  Paulaner  5,839  1,600 Hofbräu Festzelt  Hofbräu München  6,896  3,622 Hacker-Festzelt  Hacker-Pschorr  9,300  0 Schottenhamel  Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu  6,000  4,000 Winzerer Fähndl  Paulaner  8,450  2,450 Schützen-Festhalle  Löwenbräu  4,442  0 Käfers Wiesen Schänke  Paulaner  1,000  1,900 Weinzelt  Nymphenburger Sekt  1,300 600 Paulaner Weißbier Löwenbräu-Festhalle   5,700  2,800 Bräurosl  Hacker-Pschorr  6,000  2,200 Augustiner-Festhalle  Augustiner Bräu  6,000  2,500 Ochsenbraterei  Spaten  5,900  1,500 Fischer Vroni  Augustiner  2,695  700

Category:1810 establishments in Europe
Category:1810s establishments in Germany
Category:Festivals in Germany
Category:Munich
Category:Beer-related culture