The Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September and early October. It is attended by six million people each year and has inspired numerous similar events using the name Oktoberfest in Germany and around the world, many of which were founded by German immigrants or their descendants.
Outside of Germany, three Oktoberfest events claim to be the largest after Munich’s, with over 700,000 visitors annually: the one in Blumenau, Brazil;[1] the one in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States (700,000-800,000+ visitors);[2] and the one in Kitchener, Ontario (formerly Berlin) and surrounding cities in Waterloo Region, Canada.
Other larger Oktoberfests include the Denver Oktoberfest Denver, Colorado, United States (450,000+ visitors).[3] In New York City, there is even an Oktoberfest held under a big tent along the city's East River.[4] However, the largest one mostly depends on specific year's numbers and varies with sources.[5] Currently Oktoberfest is spreading to new geographical locations; starting in September 2007, Montreal began hosting its own Oktoberfest. One can find Oktoberfest celebrations mixing German traditions, food and beer with local culture outside of Germany.[6]
Argentina
The National Beer Festival (Fiesta Nacional de la Cerveza) is Argentina's version of the German Oktoberfest. It has taken place every October since 1963 in Villa General Belgrano, Córdoba. The party emerged by the hand of the first German immigrants. This festival attracts thousands of tourists for two consecutive weekends.
Australia
In Australia, the universities are notorious in their celebrations of Oktoberfest every year, and as students graduated and moved on, this rolled over into pubs and restaurants in the university areas. After the 2012 Oktoberfest Party the University of New South Wales council banned the celebration of the festival on university campus grounds.[7]
Following the end of many of the university based events a private event company, Nokturnl Events, launched 'Oktoberfest in the Gardens'[8] in the Supreme Court Gardens, Perth on 7 October 2011. The event has since expanded to Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The event now attracts over 50,000 patrons annually making it the largest Oktoberfest celebration in Australia.
The Harmonie German Club, Canberra, holds an Oktoberfest over a three-day period every year in October. The festival has been held for over 50 years, and attracts a large number of visitors from Canberra and surrounding regions.[11] In 2017 the event moved over the border to Queanbeyan in New South Wales and was held on 27 – 29 October.[12][13]
Brisbane celebrates its annual Brisbane Oktoberfest, which is considered Australia's largest German festival. It is held over the first two weekends in October and offers a variety of German beers, wines and food, beer hall music and dance and singing performances.
Since 1984, an annual Oktoberfest celebration has been held in the seaside village of Emu Park on Queensland's Capricorn Coast. The event is held in the town's Bell Park and is organised by the local Lions Club.[14][15]
In Canada there is an annual nine-day celebration spread over 18 days in Kitchener, Ontario. It attracts over 700,000 visitors annually.[16] While its most popular draws are the beer-based celebrations, other cultural and entertainment attractions also fill the week. The most well-known is the parade held on Thanksgiving Day. As the only major parade on Canadian Thanksgiving, it is televised nationally. Coincidentally, the closing day of the Bavarian Oktoberfest also falls on the German equivalent of Thanksgiving, Erntedankfest.
The twin cities and surrounding area have a long history of German roots. Kitchener was formerly named Berlin. A significant portion of the population of Kitchener and surrounding areas identify themselves as being of German descent, and many still speak German. A common phrase at the celebrations is Gemütlichkeit, German for congeniality, or warm friendliness.
Oktoberfest celebrations are also held annually in Sherbrooke, Quebec at the beginning of October. The one night event is held by Université de Sherbrooke's Engineering Students' Association. It draws approximately 6,000 revellers each year.[17]
Hong Kong, Marco Polo German Bierfest has been held since 1992. The celebration takes place in mid October to early November at Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui.[25] Other events also take place in other spots in Hong Kong:
In Colombia it is sponsored by Bavaria Brewery. A series of concerts and events are held along different cities, with special emphasis in those with German background like Bucaramanga.
India
Oktoberfest celebrations have become very popular with Indian hotels, restaurants and malls. Numerous such events happen in Indian metros in October. The most significant one is held since 2009 by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce in Pune, traditionally a large hub of German companies in India.[27][28]
Japan
Yokohama Japan holds an Oktoberfest celebration annually from late September through mid-October at its historic Red Brick Warehouse.[29]
Palestine
An Oktoberfest celebration is held in the town of Taybeh, in the (Taybeh Brewery). The first Taybeh Oktoberfest was held in 2005.[30]
Philippines
Oktoberfest beer and music festival celebrations held usually from September up to December. It is organized by San Miguel Brewery, which is the makers of San Miguel Beer and other alcoholic beverages. The 2015 edition of their Oktoberfest, was coincided with the 125th anniversary of San Miguel Beer Pale Pilsen.[31]
German-Americans are the largest self-reported ancestral group in the United States. Correspondingly,[vague] there are hundreds of large and small Oktoberfest celebrations held annually throughout the country, the largest being Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Oktoberfest in Redwood City, CaliforniaOktoberfest in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Known for its large German immigrant population, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its historic Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsylvania Deutsch) population are well known to have many Oktoberfest celebrations during the months of September and October. These celebrations became increasingly popular among the general Commonwealth population in the later half of the 20th century with the rise of microbreweries, and with the opening of authentic German brew houses such as Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh, PA.
Other major celebrations across the United States include those at:
Nashville, Tennessee's oldest-running festival is the Nashville Oktoberfest,[33] in the downtown Germantown neighborhood. In 2015, more than 140,000 people attended.[34] In 2016, official attendance was estimated as over 215,000 people, making the Nashville Oktoberfest the second largest in the USA.[35]
New Ulm, Minnesota (In 2002 the Census Bureau released a report showing 65.85% of population with German ancestry, the greatest proportion among US cities).
Oktoberfest celebrations are co-organized annually by the German Business Association in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.[46] In 2012, Oktoberfest Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City celebrated its 20th year with a seven-day event.[47]
Venezuela
In Venezuela, specifically in Colonia Tovar,[48] it is held annually since 1970. Sometimes music groups have been invited from Germany to interpret typical music. The Historic center of Colonia Tovar has a population of about 10,000 inhabitants and it is estimated that during the days of the event the town receives twice that in visitors. In Greater Caracas, it's celebrated in the suburb of El Hatillo,[49][50] it's sponsored by the embassy of Germany and Poland, and the German-speaking Catholic Community.
Zambia
Oktoberfest is celebrated annually in Zambia around 10 October at Fringilla, Chisamba, Central Province and many other various locations in Lusaka.[citation needed]
Europe
Germany
Bavaria
Note that traditional fairs in Bavaria, called Dult, Volksfest (popular festival) etc., are similar to the Oktoberfest in nature (not in size), but not called Oktoberfest as they did not arise in imitation of it. Of these, the Gäubodenvolksfest of Straubing enjoys particular fame.
The Hanover Oktoberfest is a fair that takes place every year at the end of September or at the beginning of October.[51] It usually lasts 17 days and features 140 rides and booths, two large beer tents seating more than a thousand people each, and numerous stands, beer gardens and five small beer tents offering food and refreshments. The program consists of a dirndl competition, three fireworks, two family days, a hand lantern parade for kids and a backstage tour. You can get a special festival-beer from the local brewery Herrenhäuser Brewery, the Lüttje Lage[de] (an alcoholic speciality of Hannover) and many foods from Lower Saxony and Bavaria. With around one million visitors each year, it is the second-largest Oktoberfest in Germany.
Berlin
Oktoberfest in Berlin continues to grow. Several large areas, including Alexanderplatz and Zentraler Festplatz, are turned into Bavarian-like beer and food tents. Live brass Bavarian bands play at venues around town and people can be seen in traditional Bavarian dress around the city. Many places also serve the official Oktoberfest beers that are made in Munich. These events last from mid-September to early-mid October, and are the largest Oktoberfest events outside of Munich.[52]
(federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies
Frankenmuth is a city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,987 at the 2020 census. The city is surrounded by Frankenmuth Township.
Blumenau is a city in Vale do Itajaí, Santa Catarina state, in the South Region of Brazil, 130 km (81 mi) from the state capital Florianópolis.
Pomerode is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, in Southern Brazil. It is located in the valley of the Itajaí-Açu river, not very far from the city of Blumenau, one of the largest cities in the state.
The Bergkirchweih is an annual Volksfest in Erlangen, Germany. Locals nickname it Berch, which is the East Franconian pronunciation of the German word Berg, meaning mountain or hill.
The Cannstatter Volksfest is an annual three-week Volksfest in Stuttgart, Germany. It is sometimes also referred to by foreign visitors as the Stuttgart Beer Festival, although it is actually more of an autumnal fair.
Augustiner-Bräu is a brewery in Munich, Germany, established in 1328. It is Munich's oldest independent brewery.
The Delaware Sängerbund is a German-American club located near Newark, Delaware.
Kitchener–Waterloo Oktoberfest is an festival in the twin cities of Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Based on the original German Oktoberfest, it is billed as Canada's Greatest Bavarian Festival, and is the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world. It is held every October, starting on the Friday before Canadian Thanksgiving and running until the Saturday after. Estimates indicate that the event attracts roughly 700,000 visitors to Waterloo Region, Ontario every year.
A beer festival is an event at which a variety of beers are available for purchase. There may be a theme, for instance beers from a particular area, or a particular brewing style such as winter ales.
Santa Cruz do Sul is a city in central Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The city has an estimate 131,000 inhabitants as of 2020 and sits about 150 km from the capital city of the state, Porto Alegre. The city enjoys a high standard of living and gross income per capita is 2.5 times greater than that of the state of Rio Grande do Sul as a whole.
Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival, and is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, from mid- or late-September to the first Sunday in October. The annual event attracts more than seven million international and national visitors at its peak. Locally, it is called d'Wiesn, after the colloquial name for the fairgrounds, Theresienwiese. Oktoberfest is an important part of local culture, having been held since the year 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations that are modeled after the original Munich event.
Villa General Belgrano is a mountain village in the valley of Calamuchita in the Province of Córdoba in central Argentina. As of 2010 it had 8,257 inhabitants. The settlement is named after Manuel Belgrano, the Argentine independence hero and designer of the Argentine flag.
Igrejinha is a municipality located in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Home to the Morro Alto da Pedra and the regional park Parque Alto da Pedra. The city has approximately 37,000 inhabitants and sits about 82 km from the capital city of the state, Porto Alegre.
Oktoberfest, USA is an annual celebration held in La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States, usually on the final week of September and into the beginning of October. It is one of the largest, and longest running Oktoberfest celebrations in the Midwestern United States. The celebration was first held in 1961, and today draws crowds of up to 150,000 people annually.
Czech Beer Festival is the biggest beer festival in the Czech Republic, held for 17 days every year in May in Prague since 2008. The festival features around 120 different beers, including 70 Czech brands and other foreign brews, including those from the United States and the United Kingdom, with up to 10,000 seating capacity and service provided by around 200 girls and boys dressed in Czech traditional costumes.
The Oktoberfest of Blumenau is a festival of German traditions that happens in middle October in the city of Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil. It is considered the 2nd biggest German festival in the Americas, and the third biggest Oktoberfest celebration in the world after the original Oktoberfest from Munich.
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is an annual German-heritage festival in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Based on the original Munich Oktoberfest, it is billed as the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the United States and second largest in the world. First held in 1976, as of 2024 it hosted over 800,000 attendees each year. The 2024 festival was held at Sawyer Point Park and Yeatman's Cove along the Ohio River.
Bauernfest is a festival of Germanic traditions that takes place in the city of Petrópolis, in highlands region of the state of Rio de Janeiro. The festivities occurs since the period of the Germanic colonization, but only gaining form in the 20th century. It occurs annually during the month of July.
There are a series of tents at the Oktoberfest, which are operated by different Wiesn-hosts and in which some come from a long tradition. Some tents belong to the local breweries. The setup work for the tents often begins three months before the start of the festival.
Beer in Palestine is manufactured by Palestinian microbreweries – most traditionally Taybeh Brewery, established in 1994, and Birzeit Brewery, since 2015. Several beer festivals are held annually in Palestine, including an Oktoberfest-style event hosted by the Taybeh Brewery.
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