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Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest in

America

German-American Celebrations and Customs

The first Oktoberfest began on Oct. 12, 1810 at the wedding of Bavarian Crown Price Ludwig and Princess Therese. Shortly after the wedding the National Guard set up a horse race so that the locals could also take part in the wedding celebration. It was then decided that this even should happen every year, and this officially marked the beginning of Oktoberfest.

From its relatively small beginning, Oktoberfest is now easily the largest beer festival in the world. During the 16 day festival more than 7 million people visit Munich each year. A sea of tents serving beer rise up at the Theresienweise Fairground plus numerous rides and kiosks.

The festival itself takes place during the end of September through the first week in October. In terms of events, Oktoberfest is king in Munich. The amount of visitors and money spent during these 16 days is staggering. Due to its popularity it is vital to reserve a hotel room at least a year in advance if you want a decent room at a not too expensive price. If you plan on showing up to find a room, think again.

Next to the Christmas tree, Oktoberfest is the most popular German custom that Germany has ever exported to the rest of the world. The German (actually Bavarian) celebration of beer and good times has gradually caught on in many parts of the world. Today there are Oktoberfests (Oktoberfeste) from Japan to America.

It's not surprising that in the USA and Canada, with their high percentages of people of German heritage, there are hundreds of local Oktoberfest celebrations. There are far too many to list here, but we will talk a little about the North American Oktoberfests—plus when and where you can find them, literally from Maine to California.

First of all, few of the American Oktoberfests follow the schedule of the original. You can attend a US Oktoberfest at various times and in various places from June to November! Dover, New Jersey holds its Oktoberfest twice a year (in June and September). Most other US Oktoberfests take place in September and October, often sponsored by a local German society or restaurant. The bigger US Oktoberfests run for days or weeks, like the original. Cincinnati, Ohio even has two! The Donauschwab Oktoberfest is a three-day affair in October, while the other, Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati attracts 500,000 visitors in September. The new Las Vegas Hofbr?uhaus sponsors a two-week Oktoberfest during October. (More below.)

Launched in December 2003, the Hofbr?uhaus in Las Vegas, Nevada is an authentic replica of the original HB in Munich, under license from the Bavarian Staatliches Hofbr?uhaus. Even before the Las Vegas HB building was completed, the owners sponsored an Oktoberfest in a nearby parking lot from October 10 to 26, 2003. In 2004 the Oktoberfest at the HB Las Vegas ran from September 18 to October 31, but the slogan for HB Las Vegas is "Every Day's Oktoberfest!"

Excerpts from the Hofbr?uhaus Las Vegas Web site: “In 2000 Stefan Gastager, upon a visit to Las Vegas, had a vision. To introduce high quality Bavarian Food, Premium Beer brewed in Bavaria and Bavarian coziness 'Gem?tlichkeit' to the United States at a location that would both appeal to tourists and locals alike...

Las Vegas, the leading entertainment capital of the world, was chosen as the ideal location for the Hofbr?uhaus because of both the highest number of tourists in the world and a local multicultural population of over 1.4 million residents.

Stefan and his partners were able to secure the license from the Bavarian Government Brewery Hofbr?u and a perfect partner for the necessary investment of almost $12 million...”

Hofbr?uhaus - Las Vegas (Web)
An authentic replica of the HB Munich opened in December 2003.

A similar HB replica stands just across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio in Newport, Kentucky. It was also established in 2003. Cincinnati, with its large German-American population, holds two Oktoberfest events each year. (See the Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati Web site.)

Hofbr?uhaus - Newport (Web)
This authentic replica of the HB Munich opened in 2003 - a few months before the one in Las Vegas.

Oktoberfests in

America

A comprehensive list (with links) of U.S. cities with Oktoberfest celebrations, listed by date.

Oktoberfest, Anaheim, CA
Oktoberfest during September and October: "Unterhaltung f?r die ganze Familie! Sponsored by the Phoenix Club German cultural center in Orange County.

Oktoberfest in

Canada

Twin cities Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario hold an Oktoberfest in October.

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati
Cincinnati has two Oktoberfest! It also claims to have the "largest, most authentic Oktoberfest" in the US - in September

Local Specialties served at Oktoberfest

Sausages
Frankfurt	Rheinische - thinner and tasty. N?rnberger Bratw?rste - finger-sized delicacies served in groups of six or eight on a bed of sauerkraut.
Wurzburg	Blaue Zipfel - pickled in brine.
Munich	Weisswurst - fat veal sausages, brought to your table in a tureen of hot water. These white sausages are flecked inside with parsley and are eaten with a sweet, grainy mustard and a tall glass of yeasty Weissbier.
Variants of meat, potato and onion
Rhineland	Himmel und Erde - "Heaven and Earth" - a combination of potatoes, onions and apples. Hunsr?cker Festessen - sauerkraut with potatoes and ham.
Leipzig	Leipziger Allerlei - signature meal, a combination of various young vegetables garnished with dumplings.
Seafood - Lakefood
Southern part	Forelle - trout caught fresh in the lakes and rivers.
Lake Constance	There are 35 kinds of fish, including pike-perch (Zander).
Vegetarian Food
All over Germany	Obazda - a cheese spread of Camembert, egg yolk and butter, served with thinly sliced raw onions and Brezeln.
Rhineland	Handk?s' mit Musik - a curd cheese served with onions: the latter provide the "music" of the dish's name.
Eastern part	Spargelzeit - the fat white asparagus served with everything from smoked salmon to ham to plain melted butter.
Sweet Delights
Bavaria	Mehlspeisen - "flour dishes". Dampfnudel - a steamed dumpling swimming in custard, sprinkled with cinnamon or poppy-seeds. Kaiserschmarrn - a thick pancake sliced in strips, mingled with raisins and powdered sugar and served with plum compote or apple sauce. Ausgezogene - a type of deep-fried doughnut
Nurnberg	Lebkuchen - gingerbread.
Aachen	Printen - gingerbread.
Dresden	Stollen - famous local yeast coffee cake, often with a marzipan center.

. But whether the meal is in a gourmet temple or a simple inn, the best way to round it off is wit a shot of schnapps - to settle the stomach and make a gesture to the monks who launched the adventure of German cooking.