Germany's official English language Oktoberfest site announces that Munich's Oktoberfest begins September 22, 2007. At noon on that day, Munich's lord mayor will tap the first keg of beer. The Theresienwiese gates will be thrown open, and liters of beer will cost around 8 Euros each.

The massive tent is still under construction so no early visitors are allowed. You can, however, order your 2007 souvenirs! Other souvies (not with the special 2007 logo) are here.

A highlight--should you be lucky enough to attend--is the first Sunday (Sept, 19 this year) Oktoberfest Costume and Riflemen's Parade. This particular parade started in 1850, but there are others as well.

Closing day is October 7-in Munich.

The first Oktoberfest took place in Munich in 1810, to celebrate the marriage of King Ludwig I of Bavaria (who was then a prince) and Princess Therese of Saxony (actually, Sachsen-Hildburghausen.). It began on October 12, and the highlight was a horserace held on the 17th, which closed the event.

The festivities were bumped up over the years, all the way into September, to take advantage of better, warmer weather. The tradition now is to end Oktoberfest on the first weekend in October-in Munich, anyway. Other countries drag their festivities through the entire month, some even into November

GermanFoods.org publishes a guide to Oktoberfests in the USA and Canada, organized by state .My personal favorite (OK, it's in my home town) is the fest at Alpine Village, Torrance, California, which runs through October 28 this year.

In addition to historical facts and recipes, this site also charts the food consumed at last year's Munich fest, where 6.3 million visitors drank 1,645,807 gallons of beer.

As for the Chicken Dance, which actually has its own website:

It was written in the 1950s by a Swiss accordion player, Werner Thomas. He called it the "Tchip Tchip." Words were added in 1971, and the name changed to the Bird Dance (Vogeltanz). In the 1980s, the song took off--without words. These few facts and a few other embellishments that I didn't repeat have the aroma of myth about them-no one seems absolutely positive about the song's different names and recording history, but all credit Thomas with originating it.

The website of the Tulsa Oktoberfest claims they introduced the song in the USA in 1981, under the name Duck Dance. Others may dispute this, but no Oktoberfest has been able to exclude it since.

In the 1990s, the Chicken Dance was in a Burger King commercial, on a Disney record, and a staple at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Mighty Ducks games.

As Anna Wilde Mathes of the Wall Street Journal wrote in an article reprinted online,

"The Chicken Dance's secret weapon: It gets even the klutziest wallflower out on the dance floor, because it makes everyone look equally silly."

Now you are ready to watch the ultimate Chicken Dance video, above. Remember, it helps if you've had a few liters of bier first.