ESSIC 5th Annual Oktoberfest-themed TGIF
By: Mark Baith
Guten Tag!
On Friday, October 7th, ESSIC faculty and staff will again find themselves transported to a “virtual Munich.”
In the spirit of the famous 16-day Bavarian autumnal festival, the Center will host its 5th-annual Oktoberfest-themed TGIF, featuring soft-pretzels, bratwurst, and a special “beverage” in the Märzen style of the season.
(Note: As always, food and drink are generally consumed quickly: Provisions have been made to accommodate a larger volume of revelers, but prompt arrival is still recommended.)
Oktoberfest is traditionally opened by the Mayor of Munich, who taps the festival’s first keg: This year, interim ESSIC Director Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm will be called upon to open the festivities–in the Austro-Bavarian language–with the ceremonial cry of “O’ zapft is!” (“It is tapped!”).
Some fun facts about Oktoberfest
- Record attendance of Oktoberfest was 7.2 million people in 1985, and record beer consumption was 1.82 million gallons in 2006.
- The first Oktoberfest was a royal wedding celebration in Munich, Germany in 1810.
- The fine for stealing an official Oktoberfest mug is 60 US dollars.
Please see the ESSIC event calendar for further details:
