Did you know that a royal wedding gave rise to the original Oktoberfest?

On October 12,1810, Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig, later King Ludwig l of Bavaria, married Princess Therese von Saxony- Hildburghausen. The Bavarian royalty invited the citizens of Munich to attend the festivities, held on the fields in front of the city gates. These famous public fields were named Theresienwiese-“Therese’s Fields “- in honor of the crown princess, although locals have since abbreviated the name simply to “Wies’n.” Horse races in the presence of the royal family concluded the popular event, celebrated in varying forms across Bavaria. The decision to repeat the festivities and the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of Oktoberfest, which now begins in late September and lasts until the first Sunday In October. Alcohol consumption is a popular part of the modern festival, and more than one million gallons of beer are consumed annually at the event.