For those who have always wanted to attend Oktoberfest but have never had the time to visit Munich, you will be excited to hear that Los Angeles will be holding its own version of the famed celebration next month! From October 8-10, the festival will take place in Santa Monica and feature an abundance of beer, food, and entertainment in true Oktoberfest fashion. The celebration first began in October of 1810, during the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese, where the citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate the joyous event. The community celebrated the union with games and horse races. Since then, the tradition has continued throughout the years, except with a few changes in entertainment options. As the festival’s popularity grew, different attractions were installed such as carousels, swings, and the most notable of all, the beer stands. While they began as mere beer stands, they soon evolved into beer tents that served large pitchers of beer to the fair’s guests. Today, Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world, and attracts people from all over the world.

For those who can’t make it out to Germany, Oktoberfest will be coming to you at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica! It is hosted by the same group that presented Oktoberfest in the Bay at San Francisco, which quickly grew from an event of 5,000 guests to 50,000! Guests will enjoy the sounds of the Chico Bavarian Band and The Internationals as they play live music throughout the celebration. Traditional Bavarian dancers will also bring the Oktoberfest culture to Los Angeles.

Food and snacks ranging from small dishes to full entrees will be offered at the event, and guests are encouraged to wear trachten which are traditional Bavarian clothing, to get into the spirit. Stop by Oktoberfest after one of our tours to Los Angeles and join in on the festivities!