CINCINNATI — From Cincinnati to Munich, where it all began, Oktoberfest celebrations are traditionally held in an entirely different month than the name suggests — but why?
The first ever Oktoberfest, held in Munich, Germany on Oct. 12, 1810, was held to celebrate the wedding of Bavarian King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, according to the city of Munich. It was held in a meadow on the outskirts of Munich and opened with a horse race.
From there, a tradition was born; The Bavarian Agricultural Association took up the mantle of hosting the event annually and the festival grounds were dubbed "Theresienwiese," in honor of the bride.
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Year over year, Oktoberfest celebrations became larger and grander — beginning as a state agricultural fair, adding food and drink offerings in 1818.
Rides and a chicken roastery that fueled a poultry trend that is now ubiquitous with the festival were added and, in 1886 the Munich festival truly sparkled when electricity was routed to its grounds for the first time.
While it's unclear exactly when Oktoberfest was moved back into the September months, the reason for the earlier date is simple: Sunlight.
As Oktoberfest stretched from its original five-day celebration to encompass multiple weeks, organizers determined the longer, warmer days of September offered a better opportunity for revelers to fully enjoy all the event had to offer.
By the time Cincinnati's first Oktoberfest was held in 1976, the tradition of holding Oktoberfest in September was already firmly rooted.
Many cities in the United States with large German populations began their own Oktoberfest celebrations, though Oktoberfest Zinzinnati has become the largest in the country, hosting over 700,000 people every year, according to the event's website.
Those US recreations, Cincinnati included, have grown to foster their own traditions over time.
The incorporation of chicken imagery into Oktoberfest, which began with the original roasteries in Munich, has also grown — particularly after a Swiss accordion player wrote one of the most iconic earworms to ever plague a celebration.
Werner Thomas wrote the melody for "Der Ententanz" or "The Duck Dance" in around 1955. By the 1980s it had made its way to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where it and its accompanying dance were performed in chicken suits. The song was never associated with ducks in the US again.
Now, Cincinnati boasts The World's Largest Chicken Dance as its own, though the formal name doesn't necessarily mean Cincinnati officially holds that title.
According to Guinness World Records, that honor is actually held by the people of Canfield, Ohio. In 1996, a crowd of around 72,000 people shook their tailfeathers to the tune at their local fair, snagging the record officially.
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