Raise your glasses – it’s Oktoberfest! Summer is officially over, and sweater weather is on its way. On Friday, Sept. 29, Tussey Mountain Amphitheatre started fall off right with some live music, authentic food, and – of course – some ice-cold beer.
This widely known celebration started in 1810 when the Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Citizens of Munich, Germany rejoiced and celebrated the royal marriage. Over the years, the celebration has grown tremendously and by 1896, breweries had become a main contributor to the celebration. Today, Oktoberfest is one of the largest festivals in the world, with over six million people visiting the city of Munich every year. Terry Kuzma (pictured above with his wife, Donna Kuzma) is a material engineering professor at Penn State. When asked why they came out to celebrate Oktoberfest, he said, “We want to be in the season. It’s a good time – we celebrate it like Christmas.”
“We like to have people see us and think of the season, and even maybe get them to dress up and participate in the fun,” Donna said.
If you can’t make it across the sea for this big event – no worries! The festivals held in the United States may not be six million people deep, but we still know how to bring the good times, especially here in State College!