The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the wedding of Prince Ludwig, who later became King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The celebration featured horse races, which were repeated the following year, and the festival became an annual event.

首届“啤酒节”于1810年举行，为了庆祝路德维格王子的婚礼，嗣后他成了巴伐利亚路德维格一世国王。赛马是庆祝活动的特色，来年亦再度举行，此节日因而成为一年一度例行的大事。