Oktoberfest Parade
This morning R & I went to the Oktoberfest Parade with a few other friends. The parade started just a few blocks from our apartment! Unfortunately it was a pretty cold day :-(. I also forgot to bring my camera, so I will post the pictures after I get a copy of it from my friends.
If you have not heard already, Oktoberfest (also referred to as "die Wiesn" basically is a huge beer drinking party held here in Munich every year. It ends on the first weekend of October. A brief historical background: the first Oktoberfest was held in the year 1810 in honor of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig’s marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities began on October 12, 1810 and ended on October 17th with a horse race.
Now, if you are wondering why it is called the Oktoberfest if it happens in September - This why...
In the following years after 1810, the celebrations were repeated and, later, the festival was prolonged and moved forward into September. By moving the festivities up, it allowed for better weather conditions. Because the September nights were warmer, the visitors were able to enjoy the gardens outside the tents. Historically, the last Oktoberfest weekend was in October and this tradition continues into present times.
Coming back to the parade happens every year at the 1st Wiesn sunday. This is the official prelude to the opening of the Oktoberfest and involves about 1,000 participants. The parade is headed by the Münchner Kindl--the little Munich city's coat of arms. The mayor arrives in a festive coach followed by civic dignitaries and horse-drawn brewer's carts (there are six big breweries in Munich) decorated with flowers. This colorful ceremony with elaborate floats, beer bands and men, women and children wearing traditional costumes (lederhosen and dirndls) dates back to 1887. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that Austria & Switzerland participate in the parade as well.
Lowenbrau
Spatenbrau
Hacker-Pschorr Brau
Paulaner
Hofbrau
Augustinerbrau
You can read more about the big breweries here and about Oktoberfest in general here.
Lowenbrau
If you have not heard already, Oktoberfest (also referred to as "die Wiesn" basically is a huge beer drinking party held here in Munich every year. It ends on the first weekend of October. A brief historical background: the first Oktoberfest was held in the year 1810 in honor of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig’s marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities began on October 12, 1810 and ended on October 17th with a horse race.
Now, if you are wondering why it is called the Oktoberfest if it happens in September - This why...
In the following years after 1810, the celebrations were repeated and, later, the festival was prolonged and moved forward into September. By moving the festivities up, it allowed for better weather conditions. Because the September nights were warmer, the visitors were able to enjoy the gardens outside the tents. Historically, the last Oktoberfest weekend was in October and this tradition continues into present times.
Coming back to the parade happens every year at the 1st Wiesn sunday. This is the official prelude to the opening of the Oktoberfest and involves about 1,000 participants. The parade is headed by the Münchner Kindl--the little Munich city's coat of arms. The mayor arrives in a festive coach followed by civic dignitaries and horse-drawn brewer's carts (there are six big breweries in Munich) decorated with flowers. This colorful ceremony with elaborate floats, beer bands and men, women and children wearing traditional costumes (lederhosen and dirndls) dates back to 1887. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that Austria & Switzerland participate in the parade as well.
Lowenbrau
Spatenbrau
Hacker-Pschorr Brau
Paulaner
Hofbrau
Augustinerbrau
You can read more about the big breweries here and about Oktoberfest in general here.
Lowenbrau
posted by gayathri | 10:37 PM
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