The wedding that started it all
When the son of Bavaria's King Maximilian I married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen On Oktober 12, 1810, the king invited the entire country to the wedding reception. There were horse races, games, and of course, Bier. A year later the future King Ludwig I and his wife celebrated their first anniversary the same way and a tradition was born.
Munich has celebrated its Oktoberfest nearly every year since. (A cholera epidemic, three wars, and hyperinflation have put a stop to 24 Oktoberfests.) The fairgrounds are at the Theresienwiese. Locals call the area and the Oktoberfest itself, the Wiesn, now named for King Ludwig's young bride.
So come visit the Bavarian Bierhaus this Oktoberfest, raise a stein, and toast to the newlyweds' 209 years of wedded bliss.
Prost!