Oktoberfest revelers wear traditional dress

Wander through an Oktoberfest celebration

Feel like you’re in the center of the action with this walk-through video of the modern Oktoberfest experience. A former Munich resident covers everything you could want to know, including how to not anger the locals with boorish behavior. She explains the layout of the grounds, what to wear (hint: not cheap, mass-produced German costumes), and a few vital German phrases. Don’t forget to say "bitte" (thank you) when ordering your next round!

The traditional parade takes place on the first Sunday of the festival

The parade offers a peek into Oktoberfests of yesteryear, from the Münchner Kindl, a beautiful Munich native who opens the parade, to the Goaßlschnalzen, a float full of men cracking whips.

Oktoberfest, explained

The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It was the surprising prototype of what would become every beer fan's favorite festival. Held in late September and early October, Oktoberfest is the largest folk festival in the world.

Check out pictures from the Bauhaus' elaborate costume parties

Bauhaus is known for its innovation, but, at the end of the day, it was still an art school. That means parties were regular occurrences and often featured elaborate costumes—Gropius once dressed as the renowned architect Le Corbusier, while Kandinsky was known for pretending to be an antenna.

Chicken vendors are an integral part of Oktoberfest

Ever since the first roasted chicken stall appeared at Oktoberfest in 1885, this rich, satisfying dish has been a crowd favorite for soaking up all that beer. Some estimates put the number of Wiesenhendl, or Wiesn chickens, served each year at 700,000.

Cincinnati has its own Oktoberfest tradition: the running of the weiners

A unique aspect of Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, in Cincinnati, Ohio, is its dachshund race. Costumed wiener dogs race down a short track for Oktoberfest glory (and treats).

Coachella fashion repurposes looks from Woodstock

Coachella attendees’ flower-forward fashion sense has been widely replicated (and lampooned) since the festival became a mainstay of the cultural calendar. This podcast, featuring a panel of style writers and music reporters, traces the aesthetic back to the 1969 Woodstock festival. In the process, they also look to untangle why festivalgoers fall into certain styles—and what that means for Coachella and its attendees.

Renaissance Faire's provide an escape into the late medieval world

These cultural events (roughly 300 distinct fairs in the US) stem from the original festival in Los Angeles in 1963. Long viewed as a hippie festival, the fests attract eclectic fans—historians, craftworkers, dramatists and drinkers. Listen to a quick survey of the festival's surprising origins.

Many New Year's Eve traditions came from German immigrants

While it’s hard to trace the origins of many New Year’s traditions, many of the norms for American New Year’s Eve celebrations come from German immigrants, who significantly influenced American culture in the 1800s. Below is an excerpt from an 1863 New York Times article describing a German New Year’s celebration.

Why Men's Legs Were Everything

From codpieces to cotton hose, here's the surprisingly loaded history of men's legs, and why 18th-century Europe couldn't stop staring at them.

Day of the Dead is more than ‘Mexican Halloween'

However, it’s becoming increasingly common to celebrate the two holidays simultaneously. Hollywood films have made Halloween more popular in Mexico and Day of the Dead more popular outside the country. As a result, events like Mexico City’s annual parade now include elements of both holidays.

See images of modern Druids who visit Stonehenge to celebrate the solstice

At the summer solstice, crowds at Stonehenge range from white-robed modern Druids with staffs and antler crowns to revelers with ox-horn trumpets or hula hoops—scenes regularly documented by photographers.

What's the difference between an ale and a lager?

The major distinction is that ales are typically fruitier, while lagers are cleaner and crisper. This video breaks down several more of the nuanced differences between the two styles.

Early 20th-century ID cards protected trans people in Germany using hormone therapy

A small number of passes were granted by the German police—with clinician support—between 1909 and 1933 that nominally allowed them to dress in ways that matched their gender identity, use experimental hormone therapies, and even receive early sex reassignment surgeries. At the time, individuals could be charged with "public nuisance" without the pass.

A day in the life of Bodo and Ermentrude, 8th century Frankish peasants

The manor was the basic unit of economic and social structures in medieval Europe, where peasants worked the land and served the monastery, all with the feudal lord at the top. This account details a pair of peasants pulled from a real-life manorial account from what is France today.

Countries that celebrate Easter

Easter is observed as a national holiday in more than 95 countries, with traditions varying wildly—from water fights in Hungary to crime novel reading in Norway—reflecting how thoroughly Christian practice has mixed with local culture.

See unused gladiator helmets discovered in Pompeii

Early excavations at Pompeii uncovered pristine gladiator helmets and armor, showing no signs of combat wear, which were likely used only in ceremonial processions. Many are now displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.

Watch archival footage of Jesse Owens in the 1936 Berlin Olympics

The 1936 Berlin Games were the first Olympics to be shown live on television (though not broadcast). The Germans used a closed circuit television network to bring the Games to 25 viewing halls in black and white. View footage of American Olympic hero Jesse Owens winning his four gold medals, and his historic interaction with German long jumper Luz Long in Nazi Germany.

Mozart defined the Classical period with realism and social commentary

Dive into the Classical period, a time that emphasized a less extravagant approach to music and focused on societal issues. Defined by Mozart’s influence, find specifics about his career and why he’s remembered for his compositions and the wit and emotional depth of operas like "The Magic Flute."

Long-lost sisters meet for the first time and accidentally show up in the same dress

Two women aged 51 and 63 discovered they were sisters after taking a 23andMe test. Both born in Russia, the siblings immigrated to the US around the same time. When the time came to finally meet, they coincidentally arrived wearing the same outfit.

What is pumpernickel bread?

Pumpernickel is a dark rye bread made without wheat flour in Germany and exported to over 100 countries. It's one of the oldest breads in the world, having been made for at least 500 years. It's traditionally consumed alongside something hearty like meat. It lasts for years in a tin, and some recipes require it to be baked for up to 24 hours in its own steam.

Salvador Dalí’s collaborations with fashion designers

Dalí was known to dabble in the world of fashion and formed a bond with the bold Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli. Their collaborations birthed iconic designs like a bureau-drawer suit and a lobster dress.

How one Portland dive bar helped drive Pabst Blue Ribbon's comeback

In 2004, the Washington Post reported on the resurgence of Pabst Blue Ribbon, recast as a hip alternative to bigger-label brews, and said its comeback was thanks to Lutz Tavern in Portland, Oregon, which sold the beer for $1 a can.

Watch the 'Riverdance' performance from Eurovision 1994

The Irish step dance show didn't compete in Eurovision, but it did perform as an "Interval Act" during the 1994 broadcast while votes were being tallied, earning a standing ovation. The next year, it premiered in Dublin as a stage show and continues touring the globe today.

Judy Garland's body double wore a sepia dress in the movie's most famous scene

A famous scene from "The Wizard of Oz" features Dorothy leaving behind her home in Kansas and walking into Oz. The filmmakers wanted the character to exit a colorless world and enter a Technicolor one, though the nascent technology required more than some clever postproduction tricks. The scene was painted sepia, as was Judy Garland's body double's dress. As she walks through the door, into Oz, the camera turns away. Then, Judy Garland strides back into frame, wearing her iconic blue dress.

Dorothy's famous entrance into Oz in 'The Wizard of Oz' relied on analog tricks, including a body double and sepia-toned paint, as much as it did on technology

Budweiser stores yeast derived from the original 1800s strain in a secret bunker, which only the Head of Yeast Management can access—not even the CEO

American dance legend Martha Graham, sometimes called 'the Picasso of dance,' refused to perform at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and conceived the piece 'Chronicle' in response to the experience.

'Saturday Night Fever,' the 1977 film that introduced disco to the mainstream, was based on a fabricated magazine story.

See the most iconic photos from four decades of LIFE magazine

The Brothers Grimm were lawyers before they were storytellers, but became interested in fairy tales as they began investigating how rules and customs had been passed down through cultures.

For centuries, it was common to sleep in two shifts: a few hours at the beginning of the night, and a longer period beginning around midnight

Take a 3D tour of the Hajj, Islam's annual pilgrimage to Mecca, undertaken by over 1.5 million Muslims.

Explore the archaeological treasures of Pompeii, the city buried under volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE.

Planarian flatworms are small, aquatic worms with exceptional regenerative capabilities. When cut, the worms can regenerate multiple bodies in a matter of weeks.

In 1915, workers recovered a submarine-like vessel from the Chicago River, prompting fears of German espionage

'Silent' fireworks have gained more interest in recent years as a quieter celebratory option.

A 2019 Facebook event called on attendees to "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," resulting in countless memes, the creation of a music festival, and eventually the arrests of those who did try to approach the area.

Cultural norms about how to handle the bodies of loved ones in communities in West Africa have hampered Ebola responses.

In preparation for this weekend's Eurovision finale, which is something like the World Cup of pop music, here's a young Céline Dion performing (for Switzerland?) at the 1988 competition.

See photos of Meteora, a mountainous site in central Greece, home to 14th-century monasteries perched atop soaring outcroppings.

US housing costs have risen by roughly 175% between 1991 and 2026—but a growing number of Gen Zers are becoming homeowners anyway. In 2025, 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before.

To reduce wrinkles in clothing, research recommends gentle wash cycles with more water and tumble drying with smaller loads and longer times.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

The 1987 Nintendo video game 'Stadium Events' isn't known for being particularly fun, but its scarcity has made it a highly sought-after item that has sold for up to $35K at auction.

While El Niño moves warm Pacific Ocean waters east along the equator, La Niña moves them west, shifting where rainfall will become more common for months.

The US Constitution is widely regarded as the longest-standing written national constitution still in force—see how it has influenced rights worldwide.

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

Some coin denominations have ridges etched on their sides, partly to prevent counterfeiting, in a practice called 'reeding.'