When you think of Oktoberfest you might imagine sprawling beer tents crowded with people dressed in traditional Dirndl and Lederhosen who are drinking gallons of Festbier from giant liter mugs. And for the most part, you’d be right.
But what I discovered on a recent press trip is that Oktoberfest is so much more than just swilling beer and eating sausages. It’s a huge festival of delights, packed with families celebrating what is one of the cornerstones of Bavarian culture.
It’s emulated the world over, but while the rest of the planet largely focuses on the beer, Bavarians celebrate it in a much wider and more social sense. Maybe that's why seven million people show up every year.
—Matthew Curtis