from TRAVEL & LEISURE:
"Oktoberfest
Bier, Weisswurst and gemutlichkeit on tap at Munich Oktoberfest1x
Beer and wurst never tasted better than at Oktoberfest in Munich, when the air is crisp with autumn and the sky above Bavaria is a brilliant blue.
The bawdy Munich beer festival, against which all other beer festivals are measured, was introduced on Oct. 17, 1810, as part of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The royal court, the royal family, city officials and townspeople gathered for the post-wedding celebration at Sendlinger Tor, one of Munich's many gates, writer Ruth Reichmann reports.
They must have had a great time, because festival organizer King Max Joseph, the father of the groom, was so pleased with his beer party that he declared it to be an annual event in his Bavarian kingdom, with the celebration of autumn centering on horseracing.
As the festival grew in popularity, fair grounds were added to the Theresienwiese site (named for the princess) to accommodate the millions of tourists who attend. Towards the end of this century, the 16-day Oktoberfest schedule was changed to start on a Saturday in September that coincides with a closing date on the first Sunday in October, while the weather is milder. More than 7,000 people participate in an opening day parade. .
The festival will open at the traditional Schottenhammel tent when Munich Mayor Christian Ude does the honors and proclaims "O'Zapft is" (the keg is tapped).
Oktoberfest: Fifteen Days of Total Extravaganza features an illustrated 1999 schedule of folk song and dance, a riflemen's' parade, band concerts and a flea circus.
Essen und trinken
Munich brewers Hacker-Pschorr, L?wenbr?u, Spaten, Hofbr?u, Augustiner and Paulaner sponsor tents where visitors lift their steins, sing along with the Bavarian bands and generally get gem?tlich. Nourishment is always nearby at eateries offering M?nchner Weisse, an indescribably delicious Bavarian veal sausage, grilled chicken and grilled eel. Home Cooking will instruct you on the best way to approach the area's Weisswurst.
Let's Party1x Europe has the lowdown on how to survive Oktoberfest, especially in the Hofbrau tent that is jam-packed with Australians and New Zealanders, two groups who are not exactly famous for their decorum. Let's Party notes that a liter of beer runs about DM10 ($8). It advises that revelers get the five-loop rollercoaster ride out of their system before drinking beer and has some words to say to women about Italian men who "grope."
Beer: Serious Business will fortify you with definitions of Helles, Dunkeles, Weissbier, Bock and Doppelbock to help choose your brew at Oktoberfest. German Beer Types has a detailed list of beers sold throughout the country.
Want to know the top 20 favorite beers in Germany? German News Bierwettbewerb has the results.
When in Munich
The Munich Tourist Office has links to a Welcome Card pass for public transportation and discounts; hotels and pensions; city information; and Oktoberfest M?nchen.
Munich Cheer Without the Beer is presented by Robin McKelvie, an Oktoberfest veteran who spent some time exploring his host city, including the Marienplatz, the twin-domed Frauenkirche and the Englischer Garten. The Englischer, whose Chinese Tower is a favorite watering hole, also appears in Munich Beer Gardens. Oktoberfest is among the scenes shown in a Touring Munich photojourney assembled by a tourist.
Other Oktoberfests
The second largest Oktoberfest is the Kitchener-Waterloo celebration of German-Canadian heritage to be held Oct. 8-16 in Ontario, Canada.
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati promises to turn downtown Cincinnati into a barrel of fun Sept. 18-19.
The Catskills' Hunter Mountain in Hunter, N.Y., has a free-admission version of Oktoberfest on Oct. 2-3 and Oct. 9-11. German-American bands and Schuhplatter dancers will perform.
By Luanne Axt
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