So at long last, Oktoberfest is back! After a two-year hiatus due to the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, the iconic event is back, and bigger than ever!
The 187th Oktoberfest in 2022 will take place from September 17th until October 3rd, with the news being announced by Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter at a press conference earlier this year on April 29th. It seems strange to think of a world pre-Covid, but that’s exactly what it was back in Autumn three years ago when Oktoberfest 2019 called last orders….So much has happened between then and now, and the return of the world’s most famous folk festival is surely a welcome and timely one. There’s certainly a place for an uplifting, joyous and positive festival at the moment, and you don’t have to be travelling to Bavaria to get into the vibe of it either!
Recent years have seen a real rise in Oktoberfest-themed UK parties and pub events, and why not? It offers a great opportunity to do something a little different and brighten things up - Pubs all decked out with Bavarian bunting and funky Oktoberfest flags don’t half add to the atmosphere and just for a minute, perhaps if you close your eyes (or if the German craft ales are starting to maybe take effect!) you might almost feel as if you are there, joining in with the merriment on the largest fairground in Munich, the Theresienwiese! Many pubs are now using kegs decorated with Bavarian table flags to mark the event and get revellers looking to join the October celebrations into the spirit of things.
And we’ve not even mentioned the food yet, which is such a huge part of Oktoberfest. Many events and pubs will offer the iconic German würstl (sausage), which goes perfectly with a traditional Bavarian beer but also some classic Bavarian delicacies like fischbrötchen (fish sandwiches) , sausage schweinshaxe (roasted brined pork knuckle), hendl (roast chicken), and last but by no means least, the classic sauerkraut - Basically, it’s a celebration of all things Bavarian!
But you don’t even have to be in a pub or at an organised event to join the party - Many are continuing the lockdown-home party spirit by cooking up some of the above specialties and also in decorating their own homes in an Oktoberfest-befitting manner! From vivid Oktoberfest flags to German flags & Germany bunting to cheeky Beer Flags, there are so many options to have fun with - Some even personalise a custom Bavaria flag for the event that can really allow you to stamp your personality on the festivities! Dressing up in some (or all) elements of traditional Bavarian costumes seriously adds to the fun too - .Who doesn’t like to see family and friends looking fabulous in embroidered lederhosen.
So as we prepare to welcome the festival back, we thought it might be fun to share some weird and wonderful facts about the real authentic Oktoberfest event that you may not have known:
- It’s not actually a beer festival, specifically...Oktoberfest occurs mainly to commemorate the anniversary celebration of the wedding between Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and his wife, Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. When they were wed back in 1810, the royals commemorated the event by throwing a huge public party - And the tradition continues to this day!
- It’s more in September than October! Over the years there’s been a move towards an earlier, mid-September start and an early October finish, marked by 12 riflemen firing a salute on the steps of the famed Bavaria Statue.
- Legendary physicist Albert Einstein once worked at Oktoberfest! He worked as an electrician and helped to set up beer tents back in 1896.
- There’s actually a wine tent! Not a huge fan of Munich beers? Never fear, head straight for the ‘Weinzelt’ (Wine tent) where you'll find not just wine, but champagne too!
- Oktoberfest has been cancelled 24 times in 200 years! The causes were mostly due to wars and epidemics, including Covid-19 in 2020 & 2021!
- Waiting for the Mayor’s Toast - Public drinking at Oktoberfest can only commence when the master of ceremonies – who just happens to be the mayor of Munich – cracks open the first barrel of beer, at the same time proclaiming ‘O’ zapft is’ (‘It’s tapped!’).
- Munich beers only - Oktoberfest is, by definition, a celebration of all things Bavarian, so the only beer types around during the festival are brewed solely within the walls of Munich. Well, you can’t blame them really can you? It is their party after all.
- American celebrity Paris Hilton is banned from Oktoberfest! - She attended in 2006 to promote a brand of canned wine, but without any sort of prior arrangement or permission with the Oktoberfest organizers, Paris was banished from ever returning to the festival.
The Flag Shop has all you could need to create your very own little home Oktoberfest so why not join the party? We definitely will be! Prost!
