Oktoberfest

Or Oc·to·ber·fest

[ok-toh-ber-fest]

noun

1. a traditional festival held each October in Munich, Germany.

2. any similar festival held usually in the autumn.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Oktoberfest¹

From German; October, fest

Example Sentences

Although dirndl dresses and lederhosen prevailed at Oktoberfest, attended by about 60 people, Nature Friends is not a German social club but rather a haven for lovers of nature, art and culture.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The latest sightings came late Thursday, when Germany closed the Munich airport, grounding 17 departing flights and stranding nearly 3,000 passengers during Oktoberfest.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The city is currently hosting the annual Oktoberfest festival, which is due to end on 5 October.

Read more on BBC

Oktoberfest runs from 20 September until 5 October and it has already attracted more than 3.5 million visitors.

Read more on BBC

Jessica, not her real name, said she was assaulted by someone who was trying to become a priest who had been drinking at a Bangor Cathedral Oktoberfest event in 2022.

Read more on BBC

When To Use

What is Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest is a traditional festival held in October in Munich, Germany. It’s the largest Volksfest, which combines a beer (or sometimes wine) festival and a traveling carnival.Despite its name, Oktoberfest usually starts in September and ends in early October.Oktoberfest can also refer to any similar fall festival, especially held in the United States and featuring beer and German foods.Example: My town’s Oktoberfest always features local German beers and foods from Karl’s German Kitchen.