Oktoberfest Zinzinnati facts for kids
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is a huge yearly festival held in Cincinnati, Ohio. It's like a giant party that happens every September. This festival is based on the famous German Oktoberfest, which is a traditional celebration of Bavarian culture.
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is known as the biggest Oktoberfest celebration in the United States. It started in 1976 and now brings in about 500,000 visitors each year! The festival takes over six blocks of Downtown Cincinnati, filling the streets with fun and excitement. Since 2016, it has been held on 3rd Street to make space for the city's Cincinnati Streetcar.
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What Makes Oktoberfest Zinzinnati Special?
This festival is famous for its amazing food and fun activities. You can find all sorts of German-inspired treats here.
Delicious Festival Foods
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati serves up tons of tasty foods. Imagine eating:
- About 87,542 mett sausages (a type of German sausage)
- Around 80,500 bratwursts (another popular German sausage)
- 64,000 sauerkraut balls (fried balls filled with sauerkraut)
- Over 56,000 other sausages
- More than 24,000 potato pancakes
- 20,000 cream puffs (a sweet pastry)
- 16,002 strudels (a layered pastry, often with fruit)
- 6,000 jumbo pickles
- 3,600 pounds of sauerkraut (fermented cabbage)
- 1,875 pounds of German potato salad
- 702 pounds of Limburger cheese (a strong-smelling cheese)
- 700 pigtails and 400 pickled pigs feet (traditional German snacks)
- 23,004 soft pretzels, including giant 6-pound pretzels made by Servatii Pastry Shop!
The World's Largest Chicken Dance
One of the most exciting parts of Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is the Chicken Dance. In 1994, the festival set a world record for the largest Chicken Dance ever! More than 48,000 people danced together, flapping their arms like chickens. It's a super fun and silly tradition that everyone loves to join.
Recent Changes to the Festival
In 2020, things were a little different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of live concerts, the festival held virtual events. This way, people could still enjoy some of the Oktoberfest fun from home.
