1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,200
[MUSIC] Held in Munich, Germany,

2
00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:07,120
the Oktoberfest is the world's biggest

3
00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,480
beer festival, an orgy of drinking,

4
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:10,600
eating, and singing.

5
00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,280
It all began on a joyous October day

6
00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:14,760
in the year 1810,

7
00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:16,640
hence my YouTube username,

8
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,280
oktoberfest1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig,

9
00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:21,727
later King Ludwig I,

10
00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:23,440
the fairytale king's grandfather,

11
00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:24,680
married his bride,

12
00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,200
Princess Therese von Hildburghausen.

13
00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:29,967
The wedding reception was such a big hit

14
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:31,760
that it materialized into a week-long

15
00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:33,560
party and an annual celebration,

16
00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:35,440
which now attracts some six million

17
00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:37,000
visitors from all over the world.

18
00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,127
Today, the fest could really be called

19
00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:40,887
the Septemberfest because it's been moved

20
00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:42,087
up a month to take advantage

21
00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:42,960
of the better weather.

22
00:00:42,993 --> 00:00:45,880
To figure out the formula

23
00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,000
for future Oktoberfest dates is easy.

24
00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,080
The fest always finishes on the first

25
00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,047
Sunday in October, unless, that is,

26
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:53,160
a holiday follows on the

27
00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:54,767
succeeding Monday or Tuesday.

28
00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,280
Then it wraps up on either day.

29
00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:58,687
It begins two weeks prior on the Saturday.

30
00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,807
This year's Oktoberfest,

31
00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,880
for example, begins on Saturday...

32
00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,120
It takes two months for construction

33
00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,047
workers to transform the fairgrounds

34
00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:12,967
from its massive asphalt expanse

35
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:14,887
to a pulsating city of beer tents

36
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:15,960
and roller coasters,

37
00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:17,800
and one month to disassemble it.

38
00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:20,167
Now, Oktoberfest is held

39
00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:21,360
in the Theresienwiese,

40
00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:22,960
or Theresa's Meadow,

41
00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:24,800
locally referred to as the Wiesn,

42
00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:26,280
fairgrounds named in honor

43
00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:28,600
of Princess Therese, located half a mile

44
00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,800
southwest of Munich's main train station.

45
00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:33,800
Collectively, the six million people

46
00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,240
who visit the fairgrounds during

47
00:01:35,273 --> 00:01:37,400
the two-week event will consume some six

48
00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,480
million liters of beer as well as 400,000

49
00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,567
roasted chickens and 200,000

50
00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:43,840
pairs of sausages.

51
00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:52,367
A full stein weighs

52
00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:53,880
an average of five pounds.

53
00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:55,400
This gal here is carrying

54
00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:57,520
eight steins, about 40 pounds.

55
00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,200
Within the city limits of Munich,

56
00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,280
there are six breweries, Augustiner,

57
00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,160
Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Spaten,

58
00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,200
Paulaner, and Hacker-Pschorr.

59
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,607
Primarily, each brewery is represented

60
00:02:09,640 --> 00:02:11,440
on the fairgrounds by two tents.

61
00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:13,040
The word tent, however,

62
00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,360
is wildly misleading since these massive

63
00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:17,320
structures are actually well-constructed

64
00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:18,600
beer drinking halls that hold

65
00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:20,200
upwards of 5,000 people.

66
00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:21,847
The largest of these is

67
00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:23,680
the Schottenhamel Tent belonging

68
00:02:23,713 --> 00:02:26,600
to Spaten, which holds some 10,000 people.

69
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:28,807
Leading up to the official start

70
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:30,440
of the Oktoberfest is the traditional

71
00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,767
opening day parade known as the Festival

72
00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:34,767
of Innkeepers, which begins in the city

73
00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:36,647
at 10:45 and finishes in front

74
00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,520
of the beer tents at 11:45.

75
00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:41,680
The parade is an hour-long procession

76
00:02:41,713 --> 00:02:43,847
of horse-drawn brewer wagons transporting

77
00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:45,240
the ceremonial first beer

78
00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:46,520
kegs to the fairgrounds.

79
00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:48,720
Riding on these wagons are the brewery

80
00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,887
owners along with their friends, family,

81
00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:53,240
and staff, many of whom are full-bosomed

82
00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,280
frauleins donning provocative dirndls.

83
00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:56,640
Additionally,

84
00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,367
you'll see the Burgermeister, or mayor

85
00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,360
of Munich, who will tap the first keg.

86
00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:02,560
Once the wagons arrive at the fairgrounds,

87
00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,320
the climax is not far off.

88
00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:05,880
At the stroke of 12 noon,

89
00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:07,240
in the Schottenhamel Tent,

90
00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,280
the Burgermeister clobbers the very first

91
00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:11,280
keg of Oktoberfest beer with a wooden

92
00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,567
mallet and proclaims, "O'zapft is!"

93
00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,475
Meaning, "It's tapped!"

94
00:03:15,675 --> 00:03:16,647
At that moment,

95
00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,560
a cannon rings out across the Wiesn,

96
00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:20,200
you can hear it in this clip,

97
00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:21,807
officially signaling the start

98
00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:23,480
of Oktoberfest and that beer can be

99
00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:25,920
served, precisely when determined bar

100
00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:27,920
maids begin the mad dash of carrying

101
00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,247
fistfuls of frothy mugs to dry-mouthed

102
00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,400
patrons crying out for beer like nesting

103
00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,560
chicks begging their mother for food.

104
00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:48,100
[FIREWORKS EXPLODING]

105
00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:49,327
The prelude to the second day

106
00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,080
of the Oktoberfest is another traditional

107
00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:52,960
parade, but this one happens to be

108
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:54,640
the largest and most beautiful

109
00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:55,967
and historically rich folk

110
00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:57,520
costume parade in the world.

111
00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,280
Comprised of some 6,500 participants

112
00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:01,880
marching in a four-and-a-half-mile-long

113
00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:03,040
spectacle through the city

114
00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:04,040
to the fairgrounds.

115
00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,240
The participants are members of folk clubs

116
00:04:07,273 --> 00:04:09,280
from all parts of Germany and Europe,

117
00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:11,280
proudly displaying their regional colors.

118
00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:12,680
This is truly a spectacle

119
00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:13,720
not to be missed.

120
00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:15,080
Don't forget your camera.

121
00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:24,000
[MARCHING BAND MUSIC]

122
00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:30,280
Although, there are more than 100,000

123
00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:31,080
visitors every day

124
00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:32,440
to Munich's Oktoberfest,

125
00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,527
a trip here is an enjoyable must-do

126
00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,120
experience for young and old,

127
00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:37,280
families and friends.

128
00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,280
I'll now wrap up the narration and leave

129
00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:41,607
you with a few minutes of the sights

130
00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:43,640
and sounds of the world's greatest party.

131
00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:44,680
Enjoy!

132
00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,120
And hey, who knows?

133
00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:47,820
Maybe I'll see you there.

134
00:04:52,560 --> 00:05:05,087
[CROWD CHEERING] [CROWD

135
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:11,560
SINGING] [LIVE AND BRIGHT].

136
00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:15,487
Here's one of the entrances

137
00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:16,440
to the beer tents.

138
00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,540
Let's go in and see what's going on.

139
00:05:26,640 --> 00:06:15,647
[CROWD CHEERING] [CROWD

140
00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:32,280
SINGING] [CROWD CHEERING]

141
00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:06,520
Ciao, ciao.

142
00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:50,927
[LAUGHTER] [CROWD CHEERING]

143
00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:52,440
[MUSIC]