Bavaria’s Oktoberfest isn't just for Germans anymore. People all over the world celebrate this annual event. From the Netherlands to Japan, from Brazil to the USA, people don their mock dirndls and leather pants once a year. The question is: who started it, and why? Answer: Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) of Bavaria (the grandfather of “Mad” Ludwig II) started it when he threw a wedding party on the occasion of his marriage to Princess Theresia of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810.

Ludwig gave an open invitation to the people of Munich, and about 40,000 of them came. The Prince set up tents in a field on the outskirts of Munich, later called ‘Theresienwiese’ (Theresa’s meadow) in honor of his lady. To entertain the crowd he organized a horse race and supplied copious amounts of beer. Everyone had such a good time that they decided to hold the horse race (and beer drinking) again the next year, but this time in conjunction with the state agricultural show. The rest, as they say, is history. The local brewers realized that they could sell a lot of beer in a very short time, the reason why it has become a 16-day extravaganza ending the first Sunday in October.

The horse race is no longer a feature, but horses are, mainly to pull the huge beer wagons that the breweries parade through town on opening day on their way to the festival spot. The tents have gotten a little bigger, too, they hold about 5,ooo people apiece. The agricultural show continues to be a feature, though it is only held every third year now.

Beer! Food! Music! What a way to celebrate life! And the Sacramento Turn Verein invites you to come and participate. So bring your mug, and Eat! Dance! and G’suffa!

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