The blessed month of October is just one week away and it’s time for you to get edumacated. It will make you feel so smart, so informed, and so grateful to me if you ever find yourself on Jeopardy or Who Wants to be Millionaire and have a question on this subject as the big one. Just remember to thank me when you win the big bucks, and by “thank me,” I mean “share some of the loot,” of course.

Today’s topic: Oktoberfest. Visions of glass mugs overflowing with beer and foam are dancing through your head right now, but I’ve got some shocking news for you. Oktoberfest wasn’t all about beer when it was conceived.

It began waayyyy back in 1810 to commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese.  First it was just a big horse race. No beer. The citizens of Munich had such a good time, they decided to hold Oktoberfest every year and to organize it. A parade was added. Still no beer. Next came booths and tents for games and selling bratwurst. You guessed it, no beer.

It took until late 1880’s for beer tofinally make its appearance. The booths and tents got bigger and became beer halls, beer gardens, and were used for music and dancing as well. It was 1892 when beer was first served in glass mugs.

Now beer is the central point of Oktoberfest, with food, games, music and period costumes playing only supporting roles. Six million people head to Munich each year for Oktoberfest, making it the largest people’s fair in Europe and maybe even in the whole world. They’ve got 14 huuuuuuge tents each run by a different brewery. The biggest one holds about 12, 000 people.

Now don’t you feel so much smarter? So much more ready for Oktoberfest? Then get out there and celebrate. Travel to Germany for the original or hit up a local event. Santa Barbarians should make a point of of visiting Santa Barbara Oktoberfest on October 10.  Drink up some of that special brew, consume mass quantities of traditional German food, and, by all means, do it right by wearing costumes from the 1800s.

Girls, that means finding a dirndl that suits you. What? You don’t know what a dirndl is? It’s your basic beer girl costume or what Gretel, of Hansel and Gretel, would wear.

Guys, it’s time for lederhosen or at least some Alpine wear from the 1800’s. Again, think Hansel and Gretel.

And while you are out enjoying the brew, the food and the fun, whisper a quick little word to Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese thanking them for inspiring such a great event, even though it did take 80 years to bring beer into the picture.