It began with the Royal Wedding on October 12th, 1810. Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on 12 October 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields were renamed Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s Fields”) to honor the Crown Princess, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to “Wiesn.” Horse races in the presence of the royal family marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in subsequent years gave rise to the tradition of Oktoberfest.
Today, the Oktoberfest in Munich is the largest festival in the world, with an international flavor characteristic of the 20th century. Triangle Oktoberfest is working hard to bring that authentic flare to Cary, North Carolina. Buy your tickets today!