Ah, sweet October. Like so many folks October is my ALL TIME favorite month. In honor of October I wanted to gather some Octoberriffic interesting and fun facts you might not have known about this delightful fall time of year. Here goes.

As you might already have deduced October gets its name from the number eight.

When the calendar was originally created by the Romans, the year began in March (in honor of the God of War, Mars) this meant that instead of October being the 10th month of the year it was originally the 8th month of the year.

In common years January starts on the same day of the week as October, but no other month starts on the same day of the week as October in leap years.

October’s birthstone is the opal. The opal is thought to have the power to predict illness. This is because the opal responds to heat. If you are sick your temperature increases before signs of illness appear. The increased body heat causes the opal to lose its shine, leaving it dull and lacking color. It is also said that the opal will crack if it is worn by someone who was not born in October.

Its birth flower is the calendula.

October 24 is National Bologna Day. Properly spelled Bologna, it is sometimes spelled “Baloney”. It is pronounced like the latter spelling. Bologna is technically a sausage and is commonly used as a luncheon meat. Mom and kids know it well. When it comes to bologna, there definitely is variety. There is what you and I would call regular Bologna, German Bologna, Beef Bologna, Kosher Bologna, and more. Depending upon the kind of Bologna, it could include pork, beef, chicken, and spices.

Oktoberfest is a two week festival, held in Munich, Bavaria, Germany an increasingly all around the world. Each year, the Oktoberfest is opened, as the mayor of Munich taps a keg a of beer. There is even a special brew made, aptly called Oktoberfest beer.

Oktoberfest is not just a celebration of beer. It is a huge festival with lots of food, music, dancing, rides, and carnival booths. Each year millions of people from all over the world come to the fair. Oktoberfest celebrations and festivals are held around the world during this time. These festivals also celebrate the rich heritage of the German people.

The very first Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810. It was held to commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (King Ludwig 1) to Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The wedding took place on October 12th, and a great horse race (in celebration of the marriage) was held a few days later on October 17th. The marriage was celebrated annually, and came to be known as Oktoberfest. Early Oktoberfest celebrations were held in October. The festival was eventually moved to September, as the weather was better earlier in the fall. Oktoberfest has been held annually since 1810. Throughout this time, it has been canceled a few times, due to wars, and once due to a major Cholera outbreak (1854) in the region. Over the years, the festival grew. Carnival booths appeared. Beer became a central theme, and flowed freely. Food was a big part of the festivities. And, later rides were added. Millions of people annually flock to Oktoberfest in Munich.