The “world’s largest folk festival” has its origins in royal wedding celebrations
The wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen was marked by days of celebration in Munich, concluded by a horse race held on 17 October 1810. The race was held on the Theresienwiese – an area of open land named after the bride – and watched by tens of thousands. Everyone agreed they would like to watch another horse race the following year and also decided to hold an agricultural festival at the same time. Three years in a row meant that they had established a tradition, out of which the now world-famous Oktoberfest developed. The people of Munich liked the name, but as the weather was inclement, they decided to hold the festival in September.
The festival organizers soon realized that they would need to offer more than just a horse race, so they provided additional entertainments such as tree climbing, ten-pin bowling, swings and carousels. A stage was given to sensational performances including American cowboys and “Indians”. At the end of the 19th century, the authorities allowed the organizers to sell beer, and large tents were erected to facilitate its consumption. The tumultuous history of the 20th century also began to manifest on the Theresienwiese. In 1918, it hosted a large republican rally, whilst in 1980, right-wing extremists set off a bomb at the Oktoberfest. Killing 13 and injuring over 200 people, this was the most serious terrorist attack in West German history. The Oktoberfest has continued to grow. More than seven million visitors ensure a turnover of well over a billion euros, making it the largest folk festival in the world.

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