The Oktoberfest Tradition

Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Bavaria on October 12th, 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's meadow") in honor of the Crown Princess ever since, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the "Wies'n".

Horse races in the presence of the Royal Family marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest.

It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810.

Nowdays, many cities around the world hold Oktoberfest celebrations which are modeled after the Munich event and feature live music and traditional Bavarian delicacies. This site is featuring selected authentic celebrations of the Oktoberfest in Shanghai, China.