The Complete Timeline Of

Oktoberfest

Quick Summary

How do a royal wedding and a beer festival connect? A carnival, a derby, and agrarian traditions collide; that’s how. What started as a royal ‘I do’ in 1810 turned into the world’s wildest ‘cheers’, and it’s more than a party. With the Oktoberfest, the Germans unite their love for beer, food, and fun, revelling in merriment for half a month or more of the massive festival.  Oktoberfest is iconic and dressed in dirndls and lederhosen, with traditional keg tapping and historic hangovers.

Deep Dive

What started as a single horse race to celebrate a royal wedding in 1810 has today transformed into the world's largest folk festival, where millions gather annually to consume a staggering one million chickens, 7.5 million litres of beer, and countless pretzels. But between 1810 and today lies a fascinating story of how the massive Oktoberfest came to be. From the first beer booth in 1818 to the introduction of electricity that changed everything in 1880, and food stalls soon after, this is how a meadow christened for a princess became the heart of Bavarian celebration.

The Birth Of A Tradition (1810)

October 12-17, 1810: A Royal Wedding Sparks A Legacy

The story of Oktoberfest begins with a royal wedding. Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810, with official festivities lasting five days throughout Munich's city centre. The celebration culminated on October 17 with a grand horse race held on a meadow just outside the city gates. This wasn't just any celebration, though. 

The visionary behind this event was Andreas Michael Dall'Armi, a cavalry major and banker who served in the Bavarian National Guard. He proposed the idea of celebrating the royal marriage with a spectacular horse race to King Max I Joseph of Bavaria, who enthusiastically approved the plan. Dall'Armi received Munich's first gold citizens' medal in 1824 for ‘inventing’ Oktoberfest, and even though there were no beer tents or fairground rides at the time, this royal celebration planted the seeds for what would become the world's largest folk festival.

During this first festival, children dressed in traditional Bavarian folk costumes paid homage to the royal couple with poems, flowers, and fruits of the land. The meadow where the horse race took place was christened ‘Theresienwiese’ in honour of Princess Therese, a name that endures to this day. Locals affectionately shorten it to ‘the Wiesn’. 

Establishing The Tradition (1811-1850)

1811-1819: From One-Time Event to Annual Celebration

After the success of the 1810 celebration, there was immediate consensus that the festival should continue. In 1811, the Bavarian Agricultural Association took over the organisation of the event, recognising it as a perfect opportunity to showcase farming achievements and promote agricultural innovation. Following the initial years, Oktoberfest was financed privately by various organisers until 1819, when Munich's city officials recognised the festival's enormous potential. They took over management of Oktoberfest, and this decision transformed Oktoberfest from a loosely organised event into an institutionalised celebration backed by civic authority.

1818: The Festival Adds Fun

The first merry-go-round and two swings were set up on the festival grounds in 1818. This marked the beginning of a carnival feel that would become central to the festival's identity. From hereon, booths serving food and drink were introduced, and beer also made its first appearance at the celebration. This was the moment when Oktoberfest evolved from simply a horse racing event into a proper folk festival.

1850: Bavaria Watches Over the Festival

A landmark moment arrived in 1850 with the ceremonious unveiling of the statue of Bavaria at Theresienwiese. This massive bronze monument became the guardian of Oktoberfest and a powerful symbolic figure representing Bavaria. The statue was dedicated to a place in the hall of fame, and it has peacefully watched over the festival grounds ever since. 

The Golden Age Of Development (1880-1913)

1880-1881: Technology Meets Culinary Tradition

Here is where the modernisation happened with the introduction of electricity to the Oktoberfest in 1880. For the first time, the grounds could be illuminated with electric lights, creating the incomparable sea of lights that defines Oktoberfest's magical atmosphere. This technological advancement served as the starting signal for increasingly elaborate and exciting rides that could now operate safely into the evening hours. The glowing festival grounds became a beacon visible from across Munich, drawing even larger crowds than before.

Just one year later, in 1881, the first chicken roastery opened at Oktoberfest, creating a tradition that endures to this day. This marked the beginning of Oktoberfest's reputation not just for beer, but for delicious Bavarian food. The introduction of roasted chicken was revolutionary because it provided festival-goers with substantial, hot food that paired perfectly with beer. Today, approximately one million half-chickens are consumed at the Wiesn every year, making roasted chicken as iconic to the festival as beer itself. 

Late 1880s-1910: Food Culture Expands

Throughout the late 1880s and 1890s, Oktoberfest's food offerings expanded dramatically, going far beyond just chicken. Pretzels became ubiquitous, and then the sausage varieties – bratwurst, weisswurst, and more – began appearing at food stalls, grilled fresh and served with mustard. 

The breweries responded to increasing demand by replacing their small beer stalls with huge beer tents equipped with musicians and entertainment. Inside these tents, breweries began serving more elaborate meals alongside their beer. This transformation created the iconic beer tent culture that defines Oktoberfest today. By 1910, Oktoberfest had reached its 100th anniversary, and the celebration was appropriately massive too.

1913: A Tent of Superlatives

By 1913, the Bräurosl tent was rebuilt with staggering dimensions of 4,000 square meters of space accommodating 12,000 seats. This made it the largest tent at Oktoberfest and demonstrated the massive scale the festival had achieved. Inside this enormous structure, industrial-scale kitchens were installed to feed the thousands of guests.

The Modern Festival Emerges (1950-2010)

1950: The Tapping Ceremony Tradition Begins

Munich's mayor Thomas Wimmer created an enduring tradition in 1950 when he tapped the first beer barrel at the Schottenhamel tent, officially opening Oktoberfest with the cry ‘O'zapft is!’ (It's tapped!). Ironically, Wimmer set a rather unflattering eternal record by requiring 17 strikes to tap the barrel – not only the first tapping but also the worst in Wiesn history. Despite this rocky start, the tradition stuck. The tapping ceremony marks the official moment when beer can begin flowing in all the tents, and it's become one of the most anticipated moments of the entire festival.

1960s-2000s: Food Innovation And Tradition

As Oktoberfest continued to grow through the latter half of the 20th century, so did its food. While traditional favourites like chicken and sausages remained staples, new dishes began appearing that would become Oktoberfest classics. Schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckle) became a festival favourite. Steckerlfisch – whole fish grilled on sticks – appeared at outdoor stands. Käsespätzle, a beloved Bavarian cheese noodle dish, also found its way onto tent menus.

The pretzels themselves evolved, becoming larger and more elaborate. Bakers developed techniques to create the perfect Oktoberfest pretzel – oversized, with a dark brown, crispy exterior from the lye wash, coarse salt crystals on top, and a soft, chewy interior. Some tents began serving obatzda, a traditional Bavarian cheese spread, alongside fresh pretzels and radishes.

The 200th anniversary in 2010 brought something truly special – the debut of the ‘Oide Wiesn’ (Old Oktoberfest). This historical section featured traditional food preparation methods and recipes from earlier eras of Oktoberfest. Visitors could experience how festival food was made in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with vendors using period-appropriate techniques and equipment. The Oide Wiesn proved so popular that it became a permanent fixture.

Oktoberfest Endures To Date

From a simple horse race celebrating a royal wedding in 1810 to the world's largest folk festival, Oktoberfest has evolved into a culinary celebration as much as a beer festival. The food evolution over two centuries – from that first chicken roastery in 1881 to the modern industrial kitchens serving millions – demonstrates how Bavarian cuisine and beer culture have become inseparable. Today's Oktoberfest continues to honour these traditions while feeding the masses, proving that great food and great beer truly do bring people together.