How Oktoberfest Originated in Bavaria With the 1810 Royal Wedding of Prince Ludwig

August Moon of the fact-focused newsletter 1440 explained how the traditional beer festival Oktoberfest originated in southern Germany when Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in 1810. The marriage called for five days of celebrating that included a lot of beer. The tradition carried on from there. Immigrants from Germany also brought the tradition to the United States and worldwide.

Oktoberfest, the world’s largest folk festival, drew over 7 million visitors in 2023, who enjoyed 6.5 million liters of beer. But there’s more to this event than overflowing steins and lively beer halls. It all began in 1810, when a royal wedding in Munich sparked a celebration that would evolve into an annual tradition spanning over 200 years.