October Is Upon Us: What Alternatives to Oktoberfest Are There for Those Who Can't Reach Germany?

Oktoberfest is famous for its huge steins of beer, traditional German outfits and amazingly fun antics. Although Oktoberfest is now associated with drunkenness, revelry and novelty costumes, it has its origins in a royal celebration.

The festival was first celebrated on October 12th, 1810 and was a celebration of the marriage between Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen and the crown prince of Bavaria — the future King Louis I. The festival was a 6-day affair which concluded with a celebratory horse race.

It was such a fun event that the next year a similar event was held, although this time it was a state fair rather than a series of different festivities. The fair was so popular that it continued year after year. Slowly, the fair booths selling beer and food were taken over by booths selling steins of beer, and the Oktoberfest which we are all so familiar with was born.

Although Munich is the home of Oktoberfest, it can really be enjoyed and celebrated wherever the Dionysian spirit of the festival reigns. Below are a few of the ways in which you can enjoy and celebrate Oktoberfest, no matter where you are in the world.

Finding an Oktoberfest in your city

Oktoberfest is such a fun and unique party that there are now similar celebrations around the world. Outside of Munich, the largest Oktoberfest celebrations take place in Blumenau, Brazil (with over 700,000 visitors), Cincinnati, Ohio (with over 500,000 visitors) and Denver, Colorado (with over 450,000 visitors). These cities have large German populations and have celebrated the beer-soaked festival for decades.

That being said, nearly every city from small to mid-sized to large will host some version of an Oktoberfest, so it is worth doing your research ahead of time and checking out the different events happening nearby. Depending on the event you are going to, you may need to wear the traditional dirndl (for ladies) or lederhosen (for gentlemen), so it is worth checking a few weeks before and ordering your outfit.

Taking Oktoberfest online

Believe it or not, Oktoberfest can now be enjoyed online as well as in person. There are now virtual Oktoberfest tours available for users to enjoy, along with Oktoberfest trivia nights, online parties and beer events. These events make it possible for you to enjoy a few beers at home while still enjoying the good spirits and cheer of Oktoberfest and reveling in the historical fun and nostalgia of the event. Best of all, you know that you will not have to wait in a long line for the bathroom when nature calls.

Online events can be enjoyed all around the world and whether you are a homesick German, curious beer-lover or just simply looking for something interesting to do for an evening, you will enjoy taking part in the virtual events and games.

Another way to enjoy Oktoberfest digitally is through the plethora of different online slot games which are Oktoberfest-themed. Games such as Wunderfest, Lucky Oktoberfest, Oktoberfest, Bier Oktoberfest Haus and Heidi of Oktoberfest combine the lively and vivacious energy of Oktoberfest with the excitement and fun of the best online slot games.

Oktoberfest at home

Finally, it is always possible to host your very own Oktoberfest at home. While at first this may seem intimidating, it is actually much easier than you might think. First of all, you need to invite all of your friends and remind them of the Oktoberfest-themed garb that they will need to wear.

You can set the scene by playing Bavarian music and serving pretzels along with other German delicacies. If you really want to have a true Oktoberfest at home, you can also invest in a few cheap steins, so that everyone can chug their beer together in a truly German fashion.

Finally, the beer is obviously the most important part. If you can, you should try to order a keg and have your friends chip in to support the cost. Every year, the breweries of Munich brew a special beer just for Oktoberfest called Festbier. However, you can enjoy any type of good German beer and just call it Festbier to set the mood for the evening.

These are just a handful of different ways to enjoy the raucous fun and festivities of Oktoberfest for those times when you are not able to travel to Munich. There is nothing quite like going to Munich for Oktoberfest, but these alternatives will still have you saying “Prost!”