Oktoberfest celebrations
Encyclopedia
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.
and Waterloo
, Ontario
, Canada
(750,000- 1,000,000 visitors) , Blumenau
, Brazil with (700,000+), Cincinnati
, Ohio
, United States (500,000+ visitors) and the Denver Oktoberfest Denver
, Colorado
, United States (450,000+ visitors). Currently Oktoberfest is spreading to new geographical locations; starting in September 2007, Montreal
began hosting its own Oktoberfest.
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.
The Harmonie German Club, Canberra, holds an Oktoberfest over a three day period every year in October. The festival is currently in its 45th year, and attracts a large number of visitors from Canberra and surrounding regions.
, celebrated annually since 1984. There are 18 days of music, dance and food, commemorating Brazilian ancestors that came from Germany. In 10 days in 1984, 102,000 people (more than 30% of Blumenau
's population) attended and in 1992 more than 700,000. The festival has since grown, with festivals also being held in Santa Cruz do Sul
and Igrejinha
, Rio Grande do Sul
and Rolândia
, Paraná
.
-Waterloo
, Ontario
. It attracts over 1,000,000 visitors annually. While its best-known 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 lands 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 large portion of the population identify themselves as being of German heritage, and many still speak German
as well. A common phrase at the celebrations is Gemütlichkeit
, German for congeniality, or warm friendliness. This word is even programmed into the bus route displays, so during Oktoberfest it will show the route and Gemütlichkeit, or Willkommen.
Another celebration of Oktoberfest is held in Sherbrooke, Quebec
annually, at the beginning of October. The one night event is held by Sherbrooke's University engineering students' association. It gathers around 5,000 people.
, Puerto Varas
, Frutillar
and Llanquihue
and Malloco.
.
The Oktoberfest Hannover is a fair which takes place every year at the end of September/beginning of October in Hanover
, Germany. It usually lasts 16 days and features 160 rides and inns, two large beer tents seating more than a thousand people each, and numerous stands offering refreshments. With more than one million visitors each year, it is the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world.
Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui
, Hong Kong, just next to the Star Ferry
pier.
For the festival, the Marco Polo Hotel sets up a traditional tent with long wooden tables and benches with capacity for approximately 1,500 persons to create an Oktoberfest atmosphere. The German Band Die Notenhobler from Ulm
, Germany entertains the approximately 85% Chinese audience. Their program starts at 19:30 every night and comprises three parts: traditional German music, games and competitions, party music.
The hotels caters traditional Southern German foods, such as pork knuckle, sausages with sauerkraut
and apple strudel or milk-cream strudel
(Millirahmstrudel) together with beer (past beer sponsors were 1991-1999 Löwenbräu
; 2000-2002 Veltins
; 2003 Jever
; 2004-2005 Löwenbräu
).
In 2005, the festival was held from October 14 to November 3 with some additional dates for private functions, which is popular for staff parties of large corporations.
, India, Kingfisher beer
established The Great Indian October Fest
in 2005.
have been celebrating the Oktoberfest annually since 2002 and their celebration culminates in an evening in October that features German beer-drinking music from the City of Waterford Brass as well as a wide selection of imported German beer.
Oktoberfest is celebrated in University College Dublin
each year with a Bavarian-themed festival taking place in the Pit next to the Forum bar on campus.
, at the Club Alemán in the borough of Xochimilco
. The German and German-Mexican community is a regular, however the event is also attended by residents of many backgrounds. The celebration is in most traditional German fashion, with the Mexican fiesta
kick. Typical German food
and keg beer are available. A hand craft market and amusement rides are also set up.
town of Taybeh
, home to the only Palestinian brewery (Taybeh Brewery
). The first Taybeh Oktoberfest was held in 2005.
(Kronstadt in German), Transylvania
since 2009 in September (which is quite irregular) by the Deutsche Wirtschaftsklub Kronstadt, in association with local authorities. Traditional Romanian and German beers, foods and music can be found in each edition.
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.
There are other major celebrations across the United States at Sertoma Field in Walhalla, South Carolina
, the Delaware Saengerbund in Newark, Delaware
; The Phoenix Club in Anaheim, California
; Tempe Town Lake
in Tempe, Arizona
; Margaret T. Hance Park in Phoenix, Arizona
; Big Bear City, California
; Campbell, California
; San Francisco, California
; Alpine Village in Torrance, California
; Denver, Colorado
; Melbourne, Florida
, Miami, Florida
, Mandeville, Louisiana
, Helen, Georgia
; San Diego, California
; Cullman, Alabama
; Frankenmuth, Michigan
(The first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the Parliament and the City of Munich); Hermann, Missouri
; Germania Park
in Rockaway Township, New Jersey
; Irondequoit, New York
; Hickory, North Carolina
; Tulsa, Oklahoma
; Amana, Iowa; Mt. Angel, Oregon; East Allegheny, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
; Newport, Rhode Island
; Addison, Texas
; Boerne, Texas
; Fredericksburg, Texas
; Galveston, Texas
; Indianapolis, Indiana
; Jasper, Indiana
; Seymour, Indiana
; Kingsport, Tennessee
; Muenster, Texas
(their version is called "Germanfest" and is held in April); New Braunfels, Texas
(called Wurstfest), Slaton, Texas
(called "Slaton St. Joseph's Sausage Festival" and is held on the third Sunday of October); and Shiner, Texas
as well as at least 11 Texas towns beyond those mentioned. Also the Fremont neighborhood in Seattle, WA
, also Leavenworth, Washington
; Appleton, Wisconsin
; La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Oktoberfest - La Crosse, Wisconsin
, New Glarus, Wisconsin
, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, among many others. Berea, Ohio
, Minster, Ohio
, and Wilmington, Ohio
also have Oktoberfests celebrations. There is an annual Oktoberfest that takes place at Snowbird, Utah
, a resort in the mountains above Salt Lake City. Also there is an Oktoberfest in Montrose, California.
and the Windsor Plaza Hotel, with sponsorship from the local business community, including many German companies. The 2010 event ran from October 8–10 and October 13–16, attracting more than 14,000 guests who consumed more than 7 tons of sausages, sauerkraut, and meat carvings and more than 20,000 liters of German beer.
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. 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...
is a two-week festival held each year in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 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.
Oktoberfest around the world
The largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany is in Canada, in the twin cities of KitchenerKitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
and Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(750,000- 1,000,000 visitors) , Blumenau
Blumenau
Blumenau is a city in Vale do Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. It was founded on September 2, 1850 by Dr. Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau along with 17 German immigrants. A few years later Fritz Müller migrated to Blumenau as well....
, Brazil with (700,000+), Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States (500,000+ visitors) and the Denver Oktoberfest Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States (450,000+ visitors). Currently Oktoberfest is spreading to new geographical locations; starting in September 2007, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
began hosting its own Oktoberfest.
Argentina
National Beer Festival
The National Beer Festival is Argentina's version of the German Oktoberfest. It has taken place every October since 1963. This festival attracts thousands of tourists for two consecutive weekends...
(Fiesta Nacional de la Cerveza) is Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
's version of the German Oktoberfest. It has taken place every October since 1963 in Villa General Belgrano
Villa General Belgrano
Villa General Belgrano, a small mountain village of 6,260 inhabitants is named after the creator of the Argentine flag Manuel Belgrano and located in a lush green valley of Calamuchita in the hills in the Province of Córdoba in central Argentina.-History:...
, Córdoba
Córdoba Province (Argentina)
Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca...
. 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 graduate and move on, this has rolled over into pubs and restaurants in the university areas.The Harmonie German Club, Canberra, holds an Oktoberfest over a three day period every year in October. The festival is currently in its 45th year, and attracts a large number of visitors from Canberra and surrounding regions.
Brazil
In Brazil, several southern cities, populated by German people in the 19th and 20th centuries, have their own Oktoberfest, with the biggest Oktoberfest outside Germany in BlumenauBlumenau
Blumenau is a city in Vale do Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. It was founded on September 2, 1850 by Dr. Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau along with 17 German immigrants. A few years later Fritz Müller migrated to Blumenau as well....
, celebrated annually since 1984. There are 18 days of music, dance and food, commemorating Brazilian ancestors that came from Germany. In 10 days in 1984, 102,000 people (more than 30% of Blumenau
Blumenau
Blumenau is a city in Vale do Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. It was founded on September 2, 1850 by Dr. Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau along with 17 German immigrants. A few years later Fritz Müller migrated to Blumenau as well....
's population) attended and in 1992 more than 700,000. The festival has since grown, with festivals also being held in Santa Cruz do Sul
Santa Cruz do Sul
Santa Cruz do Sul is a city in central Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The city has approximately 130,000 inhabitants and sits about 150 km from the capital city of the state, Porto Alegre...
and Igrejinha
Igrejinha
Igrejinha is a town located in the Serra Gaúcha of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The city has approximately 31,000 inhabitants and sits about 82 km from the capital city of the state, Porto Alegre.-Oktoberfest:...
, Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
and Rolândia
Rolândia
Rolândia is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
.
Canada
In Canada there is an annual nine day celebration spread over 18 Festhallen in KitchenerKitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
-Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It attracts over 1,000,000 visitors annually. While its best-known draws are the beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
-based celebrations, other cultural and entertainment attractions also fill the week. The most well-known is the parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
held on Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving (Canada)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day , occurring on the second Monday in October , is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season....
; as the only major parade on Canadian Thanksgiving, it is televised
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
nationally. (Coincidentally, the closing day of the Bavarian Oktoberfest also lands 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
Berlin to Kitchener name change
Through the latter half of the 19th century and into the first decade of the 20th, the City of Berlin, Ontario, Canada, was a bustling industrial centre celebrating its German heritage...
. A large portion of the population identify themselves as being of German heritage, and many still speak German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
as well. A common phrase at the celebrations is Gemütlichkeit
Gemütlichkeit
Gemütlichkeit is a German abstract noun that has been adopted into English. Its closest equivalent is the word "coziness"; however, rather than merely describing a place that is compact, well-heated and nicely furnished , Gemütlichkeit connotes the notion of belonging, social acceptance,...
, German for congeniality, or warm friendliness. This word is even programmed into the bus route displays, so during Oktoberfest it will show the route and Gemütlichkeit, or Willkommen.
Another celebration of Oktoberfest is held in Sherbrooke, Quebec
Sherbrooke, Quebec
Sherbrooke is a Canadian city in southern Quebec. Sherbrooke is situated at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region. Sherbrooke is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality and census division of...
annually, at the beginning of October. The one night event is held by Sherbrooke's University engineering students' association. It gathers around 5,000 people.
Chile
In Chile bierfests are celebrated in Valdivia, Puerto OctayPuerto Octay
Puerto Octay is a town and commune located on the north shore of Llanquihue Lake in Los Lagos Region in the south of Chile. It was settled by German colonists in 1852. Puerto Octay was an important port with regular traffic to Puerto Varas before the coming of railway in 1912.-History:Its origin...
, Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas is a city and commune located in the southern Chilean province of Llanquihue, in the Los Lagos Region.The city is well known for its German traditions, its food, its fish and seafood, the natural environment, its casino and 5 star hotels. Only from Puerto Montt, located on the shore...
, Frutillar
Frutillar
Frutillar is a city and commune located in southern Chile in the Los Lagos Region. The bay of Frutillar is placed on the banks of Lake Llanquihue, the largest lake entirely within Chile.-History:...
and Llanquihue
Llanquihue Province
Llanquihue Province is one of four provinces of the Chilean region of Los Lagos . Its capital is Puerto Montt. Chile's second largest lake, Lake Llanquihue, is located in the province as well as four volcanoes: Osorno, Calbuco, Puntiagudo and Cerro Tronador....
and Malloco.
Colombia
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 BucaramangaBucaramanga
Bucaramanga is a Colombian city, and capital city of the department of Santander, Colombia. Bucaramanga has the fifth largest city economy and sixth largest population in Colombia, with 1,212,656 people in its metropolitan area...
.
Hannover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Germany. It usually lasts 16 days and features 160 rides and inns, two large beer tents seating more than a thousand people each, and numerous stands offering refreshments. With more than one million visitors each year, it is the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world.
Hong Kong
The Oktoberfest was started in Hong Kong in 1991. It is celebrated in late October and early November (dry season in Hong Kong) and is hosted by the Marco PoloMarco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
, Hong Kong, just next to the Star Ferry
Star Ferry
The Star Ferry, or The "Star" Ferry Company, is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon...
pier.
For the festival, the Marco Polo Hotel sets up a traditional tent with long wooden tables and benches with capacity for approximately 1,500 persons to create an Oktoberfest atmosphere. The German Band Die Notenhobler from Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
, Germany entertains the approximately 85% Chinese audience. Their program starts at 19:30 every night and comprises three parts: traditional German music, games and competitions, party music.
The hotels caters traditional Southern German foods, such as pork knuckle, sausages with sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
and apple strudel or milk-cream strudel
Milk-cream strudel
The milk-cream strudel is a traditional Viennese strudel. It is a popular pastry in Austria and in many countries in Europe that once belonged to the Austro-Hungarian empire...
(Millirahmstrudel) together with beer (past beer sponsors were 1991-1999 Löwenbräu
Löwenbräu
Löwenbräu is a German brewery in Munich, Bavaria, Germany that produces a traditional Munich-style beer. It is currently owned by the American-Brazilian-Belgian company Anheuser-Busch InBev. Like other premium German beers, it is brewed according to the German "Reinheitsgebot" dating back to 1516...
; 2000-2002 Veltins
Veltins
Brauerei C & A Veltins is a brewery in the west German city of Meschede-Grevenstein.Veltins ranks number 7 among Germany's best selling breweries....
; 2003 Jever
Jever (beer)
Jever is a German beer brand, named after the town of Jever where it is brewed. It has been brewed by the "Friesisches Brauhaus zu Jever" since 1848.-History:...
; 2004-2005 Löwenbräu
Löwenbräu
Löwenbräu is a German brewery in Munich, Bavaria, Germany that produces a traditional Munich-style beer. It is currently owned by the American-Brazilian-Belgian company Anheuser-Busch InBev. Like other premium German beers, it is brewed according to the German "Reinheitsgebot" dating back to 1516...
).
In 2005, the festival was held from October 14 to November 3 with some additional dates for private functions, which is popular for staff parties of large corporations.
India
In BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India, Kingfisher beer
Kingfisher (beer)
Kingfisher beer is an Indian beer brewed by United Breweries Group. The brand was launched in 1978. With a market share of over 36%, it is India's largest selling beer, with 1 out of every 3 bottles of beer sold in India being a Kingfisher brand...
established The Great Indian October Fest
The Great Indian October Fest
The Great Indian October Fest or TGIOF is festival of music, beer, and entertainment that has been held every October in Bangalore, India, since 2005. Hosted by Kingfisher, it is a three-day event; offering activities including: music, food, shopping, an auto show, and a dedicated pavilion for...
in 2005.
Ireland
In Cork, the Francisan Well Brewery has an Oktoberfest festival whose dates parallel those of the festival in Munich. Downes Pub in WaterfordWaterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
have been celebrating the Oktoberfest annually since 2002 and their celebration culminates in an evening in October that features German beer-drinking music from the City of Waterford Brass as well as a wide selection of imported German beer.
Oktoberfest is celebrated in University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
each year with a Bavarian-themed festival taking place in the Pit next to the Forum bar on campus.
Mexico
In Mexico, there are several cities celebrating this event, which has grown in popularity over the 19th and 20th centuries. The best known Oktoberfest takes place in the southern part of Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, at the Club Alemán in the borough of Xochimilco
Xochimilco
Xochimilco is one of the sixteen delegaciones or boroughs within Mexican Federal District. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco in the pre-Hispanic period...
. The German and German-Mexican community is a regular, however the event is also attended by residents of many backgrounds. The celebration is in most traditional German fashion, with the Mexican fiesta
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
kick. Typical German food
German cuisine
German cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of Germany. It has evolved as a national cuisine through centuries of social and political change with variations from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, including Bavaria and neighbouring Swabia, share many dishes....
and keg beer are available. A hand craft market and amusement rides are also set up.
Palestinian Territories
An Oktoberfest celebration is held in the West BankWest Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
town of Taybeh
Taybeh
Taybeh is a Palestinian village in the West Bank, 35 kilometers north of Jerusalem and 12 kilometers northeast of Ramallah in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate, 850 meters above sea level. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Taybeh had a population of 1,452 in 2007...
, home to the only Palestinian brewery (Taybeh Brewery
Taybeh Brewery
thumb|right|Taybeh Beer logoTaybeh Brewery is a Palestinian brewery founded in 1994. The brewery is located in the West Bank village of Taybeh, 35 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It produced its first beer in 1995 and has since developed a global cult following.-Background:The Taybeh Brewery was...
). The first Taybeh Oktoberfest was held in 2005.
Romania
In Romania, the Oktoberfest has been organized in BrasovBrasov
Brașov is a city in Romania and the capital of Brașov County.According to the last Romanian census, from 2002, there were 284,596 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 8th most populated city in Romania....
(Kronstadt in German), Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
since 2009 in September (which is quite irregular) by the Deutsche Wirtschaftsklub Kronstadt, in association with local authorities. Traditional Romanian and German beers, foods and music can be found in each edition.
United States
German-Americans are the country's largest self-reported ancestral group. Correspondingly, there are hundreds of large and small Oktoberfest celebrations held annually throughout the country, the largest being in Cincinnati, Ohio.Known for its large German immigrant population, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and its historic Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
(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
Hofbräuhaus
The Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München is a brewery in Munich, Germany, owned by the Bavarian state government...
in Pittsburgh, PA.
There are other major celebrations across the United States at Sertoma Field in Walhalla, South Carolina
Walhalla, South Carolina
Walhalla is a mountain city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. It is located from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina and is also located in the Appalachian Mountains of South Carolina. The population was 3,801 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Oconee County...
, the Delaware Saengerbund in Newark, Delaware
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
; The Phoenix Club in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
; Tempe Town Lake
Tempe Town Lake
Tempe Town Lake is a reservoir that occupies a portion of the currently dry riverbed of the Salt River as it passes through the city of Tempe, Arizona just north of Tempe Butte....
in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
; Margaret T. Hance Park in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
; Big Bear City, California
Big Bear City, California
Big Bear City is an unincorporated, census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California immediately east of Big Bear Lake. The population was 12,304 at the 2010 census, up from 5,779 at the 2000 census...
; Campbell, California
Campbell, California
Campbell is a city in Santa Clara County, California, a suburb of San Jose, and part of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Campbell's population is 39,349...
; San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
; Alpine Village in Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
; Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
; Melbourne, Florida
Wickham Park (Melbourne, Florida)
Wickham Park is a public county park located at 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, Florida. It contains diverse recreational facilities and amenities, including campgrounds, disc golf course, equestrian facilities, archery range, off-leash dog park, bicycle/jogging roadway, nature trails, exercise...
, Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Mandeville, Louisiana
Mandeville, Louisiana
Mandeville is a city in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 12,421 in 2008. Mandeville is located on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, south of Interstate 12. It is across the lake from the city of New Orleans and its southshore suburbs...
, Helen, Georgia
Helen, Georgia
Helen is a city located on the Chattahoochee River in White County in the north of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the city's population was 420.-History:...
; San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
; Cullman, Alabama
Cullman, Alabama
Cullman is a city in Cullman County, State of Alabama. Cullman is located along Interstate 65, about north of Birmingham, and about south of Huntsville. According to the U.S...
; Frankenmuth, Michigan
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Frankenmuth is a city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,838 at the 2000 census. The 2009 census estimate places the population at 4,619. The city is located within Frankenmuth Township, but is politically independent. Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland, which bills...
(The first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the Parliament and the City of Munich); Hermann, Missouri
Hermann, Missouri
Hermann is a city designated in 1842 as the county seat of Gasconade County, Missouri, United States. It is near the center of the Missouri Rhineland and south of the Missouri River. The population was 2,674 at the 2000 census....
; Germania Park
Germania Park
Germania Park or the "Deutscher Schul- und Gesangverein ", the German School and Singing Society, is a German-American cultural club that was established in 1895...
in Rockaway Township, New Jersey
Rockaway Township, New Jersey
Rockaway Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 24,156....
; Irondequoit, New York
Irondequoit, New York
Irondequoit is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 census, the coterminous town-CDP had a total population of 51,692...
; Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...
; Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
; Amana, Iowa; Mt. Angel, Oregon; East Allegheny, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
East Allegheny (Pittsburgh)
East Allegheny, also known as Deutschtown, is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh's North Side. It has a ZIP Code of 15212, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 1...
; Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
; Addison, Texas
Addison, Texas
Addison is a city in Dallas County, Texas . The population was 14,166 at the 2000 census, and 15,737 according to a 2009 estimate. Addison is a northern suburb of Dallas...
; Boerne, Texas
Boerne, Texas
Boerne is a city in the Hill Country of Texas in the United States. It is the county seat of Kendall County. Boerne was named in honor of Ludwig Börne, a Jewish German author and publicist, and its population was 10, 471 in the 2010 census. The city is noted for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court...
; Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
; Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
; Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
; Jasper, Indiana
Jasper, Indiana
- Strassenfest :The Jasper Strassenfest is a four-day event held annually during the first weekend in August. The "Fest" is a celebration between Jasper and its German sister-city Pfaffenweiler, a small village in southwest Germany. Many citizens of Pfaffenweiler travel to Jasper around this time...
; Seymour, Indiana
Seymour, Indiana
Seymour was the site of the World's First Train Robbery, committed by the local Reno Gang, on October 6, 1866 just east of town. The gang was put into prison for the robbery, and later hanged at Hangman's Crossing outside of town....
; Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
; Muenster, Texas
Muenster, Texas
Muenster is a city in Cooke County, Texas, United States, along U.S. Route 82. The population was 1,556 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1887 the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad constructed a line from Gainesville to Henrietta that passed through the site that would become Muenster...
(their version is called "Germanfest" and is held in April); New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
(called Wurstfest), Slaton, Texas
Slaton, Texas
Slaton is a city in Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,109 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area.Slaton is named for Lubbock rancher and banker O.L. Slaton, Sr...
(called "Slaton St. Joseph's Sausage Festival" and is held on the third Sunday of October); and Shiner, Texas
Shiner, Texas
Shiner is a city in Lavaca County, Texas, United States. The town was named after Henry B. Shiner who donated for railroad right of way. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 2,070....
as well as at least 11 Texas towns beyond those mentioned. Also the Fremont neighborhood in Seattle, WA
Fremont, Seattle, Washington
Fremont is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Originally a separate city, it was annexed to Seattle in 1891. Named after Fremont, Nebraska, the hometown of two of its founders, L. H. Griffith and E...
, also Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,965 at the 2010 census. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.-History:...
; Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
; La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
- Oktoberfest - La Crosse, Wisconsin
Oktoberfest - La Crosse, Wisconsin
Oktoberfest, USA is an annual celebration held in La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States, on the final week of September and beginning of October. The 2011 festival is being held September 23 through October 1. Through the years, the celebration has drawn crowds up to 150,000 people during the opening...
, New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus is a village in Green County, Wisconsin, United States at the intersection of Wisconsin Highways 69 and 39. It has a population of 2,304 according to the 2010 census. Since 2000 it has had a population growth of 9.09 percent. The village, as well as the town that surrounds it, was named...
, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, among many others. Berea, Ohio
Berea, Ohio
- History :The first European settlers were originally from Connecticut. Berea fell within Connecticut's Western Reserve and was surveyed and divided into townships and ranges by one Gideon Granger, a gentleman who served as Postmaster General under President Thomas Jefferson...
, Minster, Ohio
Minster, Ohio
Minster is a village in Auglaize County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,794 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and Wilmington, Ohio
Wilmington, Ohio
Wilmington is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 12,520 at the 2010 census. At city entrances from state routes, county roads, and U.S. highways, the city slogan of "We Honor Our Champions" is seen, accompanied by signs that highlight various...
also have Oktoberfests celebrations. There is an annual Oktoberfest that takes place at Snowbird, Utah
Snowbird, Utah
Snowbird is an unincorporated area based in Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains in Salt Lake County, Utah, U.S. It is most famous for Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, an alpine skiing and snowboarding area, which opened in December 1971.- History :Snowbird is a...
, a resort in the mountains above Salt Lake City. Also there is an Oktoberfest in Montrose, California.
Vietnam
An Oktoberfest celebration has been held in Ho Chi Minh City since 1993. The event is organized by the German Business Association of VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and the Windsor Plaza Hotel, with sponsorship from the local business community, including many German companies. The 2010 event ran from October 8–10 and October 13–16, attracting more than 14,000 guests who consumed more than 7 tons of sausages, sauerkraut, and meat carvings and more than 20,000 liters of German beer.
External links
- Festival of Beer: Search for Beer Festivals around the World
- 2010 Oktoberfest: The Women & The Casualties - slideshows by Life magazine