Friday, September 19, 2008

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati Facts

Average consumption at Oktoberfest based on previous years:

87,542: Metts

80,500: Bratwurst on buns

64,000: Sauerkraut balls

56,250: Sausages of all sorts

24,640: Potato pancakes

23,004: Soft pretzels

20,000: Cream puffs

16,002: Hunks of strudel

6,000: Jumbo pickles

3,600 pounds: Sauerkraut

1,875 pounds: Potato salad

702 pounds: Limburger cheese

History of the Chicken Dance

Widely known as the Chicken Dance, this dance song was composed by Werner Thomas in the 1970s in Davos, Switzerland, and was originally entitled Der Ententanz, which means The Duck Dance, but became known as the Vogeltanz, Chicken Dance, and also as Dance Little Bird. There were many versions of this that became hit songs, but the song and dance have had the greatest longevity in the U.S., where it has become a popular German heritage song.

The Chicken Dance has become an annual tradition at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. In 1994, the Crown Prince of Bavaria attended Oktoberfest Zinzinnati and helped the event set a world record for the World's Largest Chicken Dance, with 48,000 participating. This achievement was documented in the Guinness Book of Records, 1995-97 editions.

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