Why does oktoberfest take place

The closing ceremony at the Theresienwiese included a horse race, a veritable feast for the whole of Bavaria, the following year the decision to repeat the horse races gave rise to the origin of the Oktoberfest tradition. It is here that the history of the Oktoberfest begins , the annual celebration that since then, punctuates the life of Munich and Germany, as a permanent and punctual fixture, except on 24 occasions when it was cancelled due to wars or epidemics.

In , in order to promote agriculture and the Bavarian economy, an agricultural fair was also organised. The horse race from which everything takes its origin no longer takes place today, in fact the last occasion was in , while the agricultural fair is held once every four years, at the southern end of the Wiesn.

In , the celebration was cancelled due to the war against Napoleon. In the first ride and two swings made their appearance. From onwards the citizens of Munich assumed responsibility for the organisation of the festival, making it an annual event.

Thereafter, the duration of the Oktoberfest was lengthened and the start date brought forward, to take advantage of the longer and warmer days of September. In the Oktoberfest was cancelled due to a cholera epidemic. Also in festivities are suspended as Bavaria was fighting side by side with Austria in the war against Prussia.

In cholera struck again, another year cancelled. Before World War I began in , Cavell served for a number of years as the matron of a nurse training school in Brussels. After the city was Live TV. This Day In History. History Vault.

Art, Literature, and Film History. Space Exploration. World War II. Sign Up. Vietnam War. Cold War. Civil War. The couple were married on 12 October with the festivities taking place on 17 October on the grounds of Theresienwiese, to be later named after the bride, and featuring the exact horse race suggested. In , a year after the wedding celebrations, everyone was in agreement: We want more! The newfound festivities created the perfect opportunity for the association to shine a spotlight on their own wares.

As was notorious at the time, one big historical event followed after the other, which is why by the newly established Oktoberfest already had to be cancelled for the first time on account of the Napoleonic wars. Even in the uppermost circles, the news had arrived that the Oktoberfest was guaranteed to draw a crowd, and that it would generate a wealth of revenue and should therefore be celebrated annually.

In , there was another event that was really worth celebrating: The statue of Bavaria, guardian of Oktoberfest and symbolic figure of Bavaria state, was unveiled and dedicated a place in the hall of fame. But this historical highlight gave way to some challenging years. War and cholera provided many things, but festival spirit was not one of them.

It was another couple of decades until the time came for the Oktoberfest institution as we now know it. 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 the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest.

In , an added feature to the horse racing was the first Agricultural Show, designed to boost Bavarian agriculture. The horse races, which were the oldest and - at one time - the most popular event of the festival are no longer held today. But the Agricultural Show is still held every three years during the Oktoberfest on the southern part of the festival grounds.