First, let’s talk about the origin of Oktoberfest! Here’s where it all began:

Bavarian Crown Prince Louis, later King Louis I of Bavaria, marries Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The Bavarian royalty invited the citizens of Munich to attend the festivities, held on the fields in front of the city gates. These famous public fields were named Theresienwiese—”Therese’s fields”—in honor of the crown princess; although locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the “Wies’n.” Horse races in the presence of the royal family concluded the popular event, celebrated in varying forms all across Bavaria.

The decision to repeat the festivities and the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the annual Oktoberfest, which now begins in late September and lasts until the first Sunday in October. Alcohol consumption is an important part of the modern festival, and more than 1 million gallons of beer are consumed annually at Oktoberfest.

Alright, so beer. Lots of beer. We’ve got some of the best places in Astoria to enjoy the festivities.

William Hallet,  36-10 30th Ave Astoria, NY 11106

William Hallet is focusing on authentic German food this year, and we”ve got to say those homemade pretzels sound amazing. As does the weiner schniztel, but that’s just because it’s a fun word to say.

Max Bratwurst und Bier,  4702 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103

Oh, come on. We had to put a German bar on the list. If you’re celebrating Oktoberfest in Astoria, it’s absolutely necessary you stop by Max Bratwurst und Bier at least one time. They have AWESOME authentic food(which we still can’t pronounce), and phenomenal beer.

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden,  2919 24th Ave Astoria, NY 11102

While they haven’t posted their Oktoberfest menu yet, last year the famed beer garden had some of the best specials in Astoria. They regularly do promos, tastings, German themed events, and their annual pig roast!

Snowdonia, 34-55 32nd St Astoria, NY 11106

To celebrate Oktoberfest, Snowdonia is focusing on their food. According to the Brownstoner, they’ve got five awesome dishes in the works to celebrate the holiday, all of which are $15 and come with two sides. Choices for the main include Bratwurst with sauerkraut; Wiener Schnitzel (breaded veal cutlet); Sauerbraten (wine-marinated beef roast); Rouladen (flank steak stuffed with bacon, onions and pickles); and Hasenpfeffer, while the sides on offer are German potato salad, braised red cabbage, spaetzle, or green beans.

Photo Credit: Brownstoner