Electric lighting illuminated more than 400 Oktoberfest booths and tents in 1880.
The milestone belonged to Oktoberfest’s late-19th-century modernization. The Munich festival was gradually becoming more than a daytime horse race and fair: improved lighting allowed visitors, food sellers, entertainers, and beer vendors to remain active after dark. Electricity helped create the evening atmosphere associated with the modern Wiesn.
The date is easy to confuse with nearby developments. Beer began to be served in glass mugs in 1892, while 1881 saw the first bratwurst stalls. Around 1900, small booths increasingly gave way to the large beer halls and festival tents that dominate the grounds today.
Oktoberfest itself began in 1810 as a celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. Its location, the Theresienwiese, takes its name from the bride. The festival’s gradual shift toward September also provided warmer evenings for its growing crowds.