Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen marries Bavarian Crown Prince Louis, who later becomes King Louis I of Bavaria.
The royal family of Bavaria warmly invited the residents of Munich to join in the celebrations, which took place in the fields situated in front of the city gates. These well-known public fields were named Theresienwiese—meaning “Therese’s fields”—to honor the crown princess; however, locals have since shortened the name to simply “Wies’n.”
The event, which included horse races attended by the royal family, was widely celebrated in various forms throughout Bavaria.
The decision to hold the festivities and horse races again the following year led to the establishment of the Oktoberfest tradition, now starting in late September and continuing until the first Sunday in October. Modern Oktoberfest is characterized by significant alcohol consumption, with over 1 million gallons of beer enjoyed annually at the event.
