Oktoberfest begins Sep 16, 2023

Oktoberfest begins

Welcome to Oktoberfest, the world"s biggest beer festival, held each year in the German city of Munich. Dating back all the way to 1810, it began with the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig, later Ludwig I of Bavaria, and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The celebrations took place on the fields in front of the city gates, which were named Theresienwiese, or Theresa"s Meadow, in honor of the bride. The festivities lasted for five days, filled with exciting activities such as parades and horse races. It was so popular that Oktoberfest became an annual event that now draws more than 6 million people. This year"s festival starts today and lasts 18 days. Beyond Munich, it has become a popular celebration in multiple countries, and cities inside and outside of Germany imitate the festival and cherish its German traditions.

© Peter Kneffel/picture alliance via Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Sep 16, 2018Mexico celebrates its Independence Day
Sep 16, 2019The mighty, mighty mushroom
Sep 16, 2020It s Independence Day in Mexico
Sep 16, 2021A cry for independence
Sep 16, 2022Puma in Patagonia
Sep 16, 2024Wallabies at sunrise, Australia
Sep 16, 2025Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 16, 2020I ll call for pen and ink
Jan 3, 2021An Alpine fairy-tale castle
Jan 12, 2019Sailing across the ice
Mar 26, 2021The wild heart of Tasmania
Mar 2, 2024Modica, Sicily, Italy
Dec 15, 2022Borovets ski resort in Bulgaria
May 4, 2023Star Wars Day
Feb 28, 2019Over and under the delta
Feb 12, 2026Darwin Day
Apr 28, 2020Happy 800th, Salisbury Cathedral
Apr 9, 2019The glowing waters of the Matsu Islands
Aug 23, 2021A little blue
Apr 29, 2025Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France
Jun 20, 2022Pollinator Week
Dec 4, 2020Protecting wildlife today and tomorrow
Aug 11, 2020Sea fireflies at the seashore
Oct 28, 2019A night on the (ghost) town
Jun 19, 2024Juneteenth
Oct 18, 2019Fall color sweeps across the West
Sep 24, 2024Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
Oct 13, 2025Cedar Mesa, Utah, for Indigenous Peoples Day
Aug 29, 2023American bison, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Jul 20, 2025Moon Day
Jul 14, 2024La Geria wine region, Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Oct 23, 2025International Day of the Snow Leopard
Apr 17, 2026International Bat Appreciation Day
Feb 8, 2020Lanterns alight in Pingxi
Jul 21, 2024Kendwa village, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Dec 30, 2019Sky island views
Jan 28, 2026Whanganui National Park, Retaruke, New Zealand