Bürpenfärtzen Brothers
Oktoberfest History
Munich, Germany, 1810
Oktoberfest began on October 12, 1810, to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The festivities, organized in part by Major Andreas Michael Dall'Armi, included a horse race and were so popular they became an annual tradition. The celebration was held on Theresienwiese ("Therese's Meadow"), where Oktoberfest remains today.
Now the world's largest folk festival, Oktoberfest runs 16–18 days, from mid-September into early October. Nearly 18 giant beer tents and dozens of smaller tents are erected over several weeks and removed after the festival ends.
Each year, about 6–7 million visitors attend, consuming roughly 7 million liters (1.9 million gallons) of beer. Guests enjoy traditional Bavarian music, parades, carnival rides, lederhosen, dirndls, and regional food. Oktoberfest generates an estimated €1.2 billion (US$1.3 billion) for Munich's economy, making it one of Germany's most important tourism and cultural events.
Virginia Beach, Virginia, 1996
The first Bürpenfärtzen Brothers Oktoberfest began in 1996, in Virginia Beach, under the direction of Wilhelm Ressler and Johann Koehler. It was held in Johann’s front yard, with 150 people attending in the rain. Manfred Charles, Tuborg Wagner and Greggor Christoffersen came on board while the party grew to nearly 1,000 people. In order to save Johann’s marriage, the party was moved offsite and is now hosted by New Realm Brewing Company.
In 2005 the BFB began sponsoring the Noblemen, and they became a partner in the party to help raise money to help various children’s charities in Hampton Roads. The BFB Oktoberfest parties are known for the quality of the fun, as well as excellent food and beer.
Every year the Brothers create award-winning posters and graphics for the party. They can be viewed here.
1996 poster
