Beer History Storyline
Beer Festivals and Public Beer Culture
Follow beer festivals from civic celebrations and mass brewery tents to consumer advocacy, craft gatherings, and international tasting culture.
Chronological milestones
Sources and further references are available on each individual event page.
October 17, 1810
The First Oktoberfest Is Held in Munich
September 28, 1818
The First Cannstatter Volksfest Is Held
1820s
Early Oktoberfest Rules Reserve Beer Service for Munich
1861
Salvator Service Moves to the Nockherberg
1872
Märzen Is Introduced at Oktoberfest
1892
Glass Beer Mugs Are Introduced at the Munich Oktoberfest
1895
Large Brewery Tents Transform Oktoberfest
1953
Augustiner Introduces Wiesn-Edelstoff
1971
Founding of the Campaign for Real Ale
1977
The Great British Beer Festival Is First Held
June 4, 1982
The Great American Beer Festival Is First Held
July 1988
The Oregon Brewers Festival Begins in Portland
January 17, 1990
Court Upholds Oktoberfest’s Restriction to Munich Breweries
June 16, 1994
Mondial de la Bière Begins in Montréal
October 19, 1997
The First Toer de Geuze Is Held
1998
Belgian Beer Weekend Begins in Brussels
March 6, 2004
The First Zythos BierFestival Is Held
March 7, 2008
Philly Beer Week Launches the First Modern Citywide Beer Week
October 18, 2013
EurHop Roma Beer Festival Begins
October 18, 2014
First Trier Beer Festival Takes Place At Blesius Garten
January 16, 2016
The First Baltic Porter Day Is Celebrated
August 2026
Still Brewing Society Appears at the Bingen Bier Festival