The mother of all parties in the fatherland

Oktoberfest in Munich is the world's largest annual festival and in its nearly 200 years only war and a cholera epidemic plugged this party.

The two-week celebration in the Bavarian capital began as a wedding reception when Prince Ludwig got hitched to the comely Princess Therese of Saxony on Oct. 12, 1810. The magnanimous prince, who later became king, invited all of his countrymen and women to join in the festivities.

Later, the agricultural show aspect of the festival grew and the tradition of beer and food stands began around 1818 - kind of like our state fair. Today, thousands swig beer and consume mass quantities of roasted ox tails and grilled pork knuckles in colossal beer halls for 16 days straight, generally starting the third weekend in September and ending the first Sunday of October.

Don't even think about ordering anything on the "lite" side in das Bierfest in Munich. Yah, das bier is strong, but you'll find nary an additive or foam enhancer - the four ingredients allowed in the brewing of German beer are simply barley, hops, malt and yeast.

The standard stein at Oktoberfest holds a liter, my friend, which might explain how many sauerkraut balls are ingested at the Germanic gala. It's not all about getting geezed: there are amusement rides, special afternoons dedicated to family visits, crossbow competitions, grand parades and processionals of riflemen, big brass bands and rock 'n' rollers with a chance to dance off all those plates of dumplings.

This year's blowout in Munich: Sept. 20 to Oct. 5.