| I want you to do me a favor. Close your eyes, and | | | | take advantage of the milder weather. So |
| think back: back to college, back to Mardi Gras, back | | | | now--somewhat counter-intuitively--a festival named |
| to Cancun. Imagine biggest party you've ever been | | | | for October begins the month before! |
| to in your life. For some, it's that once-in-a-lifetime trip | | | | It's not all fun and games, though; even good times |
| to New Orleans; for others, it's the frat fest at | | | | hit their bad times. In the past 197 years, Munich has |
| Halloween where there are more little party cups | | | | called off Oktoberfest 24 times due to famine, |
| than there are human beings. Whatever that | | | | disease, and two world wars. In 1980, a lone far-right |
| uber-party is, picture it in your mind. | | | | nutcase struck another blow with a pipe bomb that |
| Now multiply it by, oh, at least a million. You | | | | killed thirteen people and injured 200 more. Despite it |
| might--might--approach the jubilee that is | | | | all, however, Germany's most famous party always |
| Oktoberfest, the largest public festival in the world. | | | | bounced back, and today an estimated 15% of its |
| With an average of six million annual visitors and only | | | | 6.5 million visitors come from overseas. |
| God knows how many beers, the yearly festival in | | | | Every Oktoberfest begins the same way: a crowd of |
| Munich dwarfs every other celebration on | | | | people 8,000-strong marches through Munich, dressed |
| earth--save, maybe, the millennium celebration. And | | | | in traditional Bavarian clothes and led by the town |
| unlike other parties that stop after, oh, one or two | | | | "kindl"--a sort of 'town mascot,' usually a small child or |
| days, Oktoberfest sees fit to keep on truckin' for | | | | young woman, who represents the Munich coat of |
| two weeks. That's a lot of beer, but fortunately | | | | arms. After the parade, the city mayor officially kicks |
| there are plenty of people to drink it. Stretching from | | | | off the festivities by tapping a ceremonial keg and |
| the last weekend of September to the first | | | | declaring (to the joy of the crowd) "it's been tapped!" |
| weekend of October, Oktoberfest attracts visitors | | | | From there, thirsty festival-goers (many who arrived |
| from every corner of the globe--and has inspired a | | | | at 9 AM for the evening event) finally get to taste |
| plethora of tributes in just as many countries. Odds | | | | the special Oktoberfest beer, a strong, dark brew |
| are, if you're anywhere near some fairgrounds, there'll | | | | only made during the festival. It's drank by the gallons |
| be people in Bavarian dress clinking mugs and singing | | | | in streets, bars, and especially in the 10,000-capacity |
| polka. | | | | festival tent! |
| But despite the legions of drunk youths (known as | | | | Of course, some (most) of us can't hop a plane to |
| "beer corpses" by the locals) stumbling through | | | | Munich any time soon, so how do we celebrate on |
| Munich every year, Oktoberfest certainly isn't just | | | | our side of the pond? Well-prepared brewmeisters |
| about the bier. In fact, overconsumption of alcohol is | | | | can twist open a bottle of homemade beer, but the |
| looked down upon by nearly every Oktoberfest | | | | rest of us can find ways to participate, too. |
| veteran as a sign of youthful inexperience. | | | | Consider cooking one of these German and Bavarian |
| Oktoberfest is also about the people, the food, and | | | | cuisine-inspired recipes: |
| the music--all of them coming together to celebrate a | | | | Holly's German Spaetzle Dumplings |
| German cultural tradition dating back to 1810. | | | | Shrimp and Fresh Herb Spaetzle with Creamy |
| The first Oktoberfest began on October 12, 1810 as | | | | Tomato Sauce |
| a massive horse race, all to celebrate the marriage of | | | | Grilled Bratwurst with German Potato Salad |
| Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese | | | | German Soft Pretzels |
| von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festival grounds | | | | Ritter's Inn Sauerbraten and Dumplings |
| were named Theresienwiese in honor of the princess; | | | | For the less culinary-inclined, many towns around the |
| even today, locals refer affectionately to them as | | | | country throw Oktoberfest bashes--all you need to |
| "Die Weisen." Unsurprisingly, the revelry surrounding | | | | do is go, pay, and enjoy. We recommend doing this |
| the races was tremendously popular, and by 1813 the | | | | even if you do cook for yourself; part of |
| festival was declared mandatory for every year. | | | | Oktoberfest's appeal is the crowd! |
| People loved it so much it soon stretched to two | | | | Whatever you end up doing, you'd better make sure |
| weeks in length; as the years went on, organizers | | | | to do it soon. There's only 11 days of Oktoberfest |
| pushed the starting point back into September to | | | | left...and the clock is ticking! |
