Why We Love Oktoberfest: Lederhosen, a Little Schlager und ein bisschen mehr!
Why Oktoberfest Is a Big Deal in Our House
Oktoberfest has always felt a little more personal in our house than simply an excuse to put on Lederhosen and pour a beer. Thomas spent many of his childhood summers in Germany, studied German at university and later taught the language at high school level in Europe. German is still very much part of our family life today, and he speaks it with the boys at home.
German-inspired food is already in the weekly rotation in our kitchen, but Oktoberfest gives us an excuse to really lean into it. Out come the Lederhosen, the German music gets turned up, there’s usually a batch of homemade Spätzle involved, and yes, a little Schlager will almost certainly make its way onto the playlist.
Over the years, our Oktoberfest party has become one of those gatherings our friends genuinely look forward to. It’s one of our favorite excuses to bring everyone together over good food, beer, music and traditions that have been part of Thomas’s life for decades.
And while Oktoberfest has become a huge celebration around the world, there’s a lot more behind it than beer tents and Bavarian outfits. There’s a real story behind why it began, why it actually starts in September, what some of the traditions mean and, of course, what to eat, drink and wear if you’re celebrating yourself.
How Oktoberfest Began, and Why It Starts in September
The first Oktoberfest took place in Munich in 1810, and it did not begin as a beer festival. It started as a royal wedding celebration. Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, who later became King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. The people of Munich were invited to join the celebrations, which ended with a large horse race held on a meadow just outside the city gates.
That meadow was named Theresienwiese in honor of the bride, and it is still where Oktoberfest is held today. Locals often simply call the festival die Wiesn, a shortened Bavarian reference to the meadow.
The celebration proved so popular that the horse races were held again the following year, and the event gradually became an annual tradition. Over time, agricultural displays, food stalls, beer vendors and entertainment were added, turning what began as a royal celebration into something much bigger. By 1819, the City of Munich had taken over organizing the festival.
So why is it called Oktoberfest when most of it now takes place in September? Originally, the festival really was held in October. But Munich weather is generally warmer and the days are longer in September, so in 1872 the start of the festival was moved earlier in the year. It still continued into October, but by then the name Oktoberfest was firmly established.
That tradition continues today. The festival typically begins in the second half of September and runs into early October, keeping the original name while making the most of better weather.
From a royal wedding and a horse race more than 200 years ago, Oktoberfest grew into the world’s largest folk festival and one of Bavaria’s best-known traditions.
What Oktoberfest Is Really Like in Munich
Reading about Oktoberfest and actually walking onto the Theresienwiese are two very different things. The scale is probably the first thing that hits you. The famous “beer tents” are not exactly tents in the way you might imagine. Many are enormous temporary halls, filled with long communal tables, live bands, thousands of people and, naturally, a lot of beer.
But for us, what makes Oktoberfest so much fun is the combination of everything happening at once. You have people arriving in Lederhosen and Dirndl, brass bands playing traditional Bavarian songs, tables singing along, plates piled with food and Maß after Maß of beer being carried through the crowds. Outside the tents, the festival feels almost like a huge fairground, with rides, food stands and plenty happening even if you never set foot inside one of the big beer halls.
And despite how much Oktoberfest is associated with beer, it is really the food, music and shared tables that give it its character. That is also the part we try to recreate when we celebrate at home.
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Let’s Talk About the Beer
Beer is obviously a huge part of Oktoberfest, but the beer served in Munich is more specific than many people realize. At the official festival, the beer comes from Munich breweries with long-standing ties to Oktoberfest, including Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten.
Oktoberfestbier is typically a smooth, golden lager with a little more strength than an everyday German beer. It is also quite different from some of the darker, amber Oktoberfest-style beers you often see in the US.
And then there is the Maß. This is the one-liter glass mug you see everywhere at Oktoberfest, usually filled right to the mark and carried through the tents by servers who somehow manage several at once. If you are recreating the feel at home, serving beer in proper Maß-style glasses is one of those small details that instantly makes it feel more festive.
For our own Oktoberfest parties, Paulaner is usually the beer we reach for first. It is one of our favorites, and it feels right for the occasion without overcomplicating things. If you are planning your own Oktoberfest celebration, you can order Paulaner here.
As always, alcohol is for those of legal drinking age, and it is worth enjoying it sensibly.
What to Serve for Oktoberfest
Food at Oktoberfest is very much rooted in Bavarian comfort food, and if you are thinking about hosting your own celebration, that is a good place to start. In Munich, you will typically see dishes like Hendl, the classic roast chicken, bratwurst and other sausages, Schweinshaxe, giant pretzels, potato dishes, Obatzda cheese spread and plenty of mustard alongside it all.
The nice thing is that you do not need to recreate a full beer hall menu at home. A few well-chosen dishes go a long way, especially if they are the kind of food people can help themselves to and share around the table.
For our own Oktoberfest parties, we usually keep it fairly traditional with schnitzel, bratwurst, pretzels, mustard and German-style sides. The one thing that has really become part of our own tradition, though, is homemade Spätzle, which is most popular in the south western area of Germany but also in Bavaria.
Spätzle is a soft German egg noodle or dumpling, and it works perfectly alongside schnitzel, sausages or roast meats. Thomas makes his with nutmeg, butter and plenty of seasoning, and it is always one of the first things to disappear.
If you want to make it yourself, Thomas’ full Spätzle recipe is here, including the method we use at home and the Spätzle maker that makes the process much easier.
For us, that is really the best way to approach an Oktoberfest menu at home: keep it hearty, familiar and easy to share, then add one or two things that make it feel like your own.
Setting the Scene: Decor and What to Wear
Once the food and beer are sorted, the easiest way to make an Oktoberfest party feel the part is through the decor. The classic colors are blue and white, taken from the Bavarian flag, and they instantly set the tone. We usually keep it simple with blue-and-white table details, beer steins and a few traditional touches rather than trying to recreate a full Munich beer tent at home.
And then there is the dress code, which is half the fun. Lederhosen and Dirndl are the traditional choices, and for the more authentic pieces, of course, Germany is where you would want to shop. But for a fun evening at home, there are plenty of quick finds that still capture the look and can arrive at your door in time for the party. You can take a look at some of our picks here.
We have found that once everyone arrives dressed for it, the whole evening immediately feels more like an occasion. Add the blue and white, put the beer in a proper stein, turn up the music and you are already most of the way there.
For us, Oktoberfest is one of those traditions that brings together so many things we already love: German food, music, family memories and the history behind it all. Learning where the celebration came from makes it even more enjoyable, and hosting our own version at home has become a way of keeping a little of that tradition going in our own way.
Whether you make it to Munich one year or simply gather a few friends around your own table, that is really the spirit of it. Prost!
