Oktoberfest begins today!

Oktoberfest begins today! This traditional German festival dates all the way back to 1810. In October of that year, the crown prince of Bavaria married the princess of Saxony-Hildburghausen, and all the citizens of Munich were invited to attend the royal wedding. The celebration turned into an annual autumn event.

Today, Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair. Over 5 million people travel to Munich to take part in the festivities. Over the course of the sixteen-day festival they will watch parades, participate in massive sing-a-longs, eat Bavarian foods like soft pretzels, wear traditional lederhosen, and consume more than 1 million gallons of beer.

To celebrate Oktoberfest, plan your very own autumn celebration. Invite friends and family to go apple picking, sample some festive fall beers, and enjoy all the sights and sounds of the season. Cheers! Or, as the Germans would say, “Prost!”