WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE OKTOBERFEST?
Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 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 have been named Theresienwiese, or Theresa’s fields, in honour of the Crown Princess ever since, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the “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 the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest. In 1811, an added feature to the horse races 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 year
