Well Oktoberfest has been on and running since September 18th when Christian Ude, mayor of Munich, traditionally tapped the first barrel of Oktoberfest beer.  Celebrities, press and thousands of Oktoberfest fans witnessed this age old ritual in the “Schottenhamel” beer tent.  Then every tent is free to quench the thirst of the their festival patrons.

If you don’t know Oktoberfest or have never been, just picture Disneyland and a Brewery meshing in a German town.  Wow!  Now doesn’t that just seem like a beer-drinking-adult’s dream?  And it is.  Oktoberfest is the world’s largest and most celebrated beer festival.  It is set on 100 acres in the beautiful Bavarian city of Munich.  And the view isn’t all you’d enjoy, with it’s rides, beer, roasted chicken, beer, pretzels, beer, lederhosen and of course…. more beer.  Oktoberfestians have been gathering to this region in hoards of 6 million a year since 1980.  And the fun hasn’t stopped this year either! There are 14 beer tents to choose from and these are not tents in the way you’re thinking.  These are more like extravagantly designed and decorated buildings that house different beers and foods to suite your fancy. Yum!

Now some of you may be pondering a very common question: If it’s called Oktoberfest, why does it start in September?  Well, the festival’s main website informs us that 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. In the following years, 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 and the stroll over “die Wiesen” or the fields much longer without feeling chilly. Historically, the last Oktoberfest weekend was in October and this tradition continues into present times.  So, now you know!

As I said, the festival is running now and will last until October 3rd, 2010.  But show up early!  The tidal wave of tourists still runs ahead of the flood of beer.  Those who show up after dark have a better chance of finding Super Bowl tickets than an empty seat.  ”So if you enjoy your sustenance in a shade of amber delivered by a voluptuous Bavarian beauty to an oompha backbeat then Oktoberfest may just be the beer fest for you,” says 2Camels.com.

“O’zapft is” means “It is Tapped”