Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is an annual German-heritage festival in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Based on the original Munich Oktoberfest, it is billed as the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the United States ^[1] and second largest in the world. ^[2] First held in 1976, as of 2023 it hosted over 700,000 attendees each year. ^{[3] [4]} It is held along six blocks of Downtown Cincinnati. ^[5]

Location and length

The festival for years was held on 5th Street. In 2016 the festival moved to 3rd Street to clear room for Cincinnati Streetcar construction. ^[6] In 2021 it expanded to four days and in 2023 returned to 5th Street. ^[7]

Events

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati claimed the world record for the largest Chicken Dance in 1994, with over 48,000 participants.

The festival includes the World Brat Eating Championship ^{[8] [9] [10]} and also the Running of the Wieners, in which dachshunds and dachshund mixes ("wiener dogs") race in 75-foot heats, wearing hot dog costumes. ^{[9] [11] [12]}

COVID-19

In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerts were virtual instead of live. In both 2020 and 2021, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati was recognized as the world's largest Oktoberfest because Munich's Oktoberfest was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic two years in a row. ^{[13] [14]}

Other Greater Cincinnati Oktoberfests

Cincinnati has a large percentage of the population with some German ancestry, and there are multiple Oktoberfests held in and around the downtown area as well as outlying suburbs. ^{[15] [16]}

Cincinnati's Germania Society has held an Oktoberfest since 1971. ^{[17] [15]} The Donauschwaben Society also holds an Oktoberfest. ^{[17] [15]}

Covington, Kentucky, directly across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati and considered part of Greater Cincinnati, has since 1979 held an Oktoberfest in its Mainstrasse Village. ^{[18] [15]} Newport, Kentucky, also directly across the river from Cincinnati, holds an annual Oktoberfest. ^{[17] [15]}

References

External links

• Official website