Oktoberfest isn’t just for Germans anymore!

People have flocked to Germany from all parts of the globe to participate in the world’s largest annual festival for more than 200 years. Here are some historical and fun facts about Oktoberfest that you can share over a beer with your friends:

• The first Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810 for the marriage celebration of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.

• Munich’s annual celebration is still held on the original site, Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s fields”), in front of the city gates.

• In 1872, the start of the Oktoberfest was officially moved to September because October was often quite cold, which negatively affected attendance.

• Oktoberfest is the largest public festival in the world with almost 7 million visitors a year in Munich (and festival halls can seat 100,000 people).

• The largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany is in Blumenau, Brazil (attendance: 700,000+). Other cities claiming to have the largest Oktoberfest include Kitchener- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (700,000+), Cincinnati, Ohio (500,000+), and Denver, Colorado (450,000+).

• Oktoberfest is not only an event—it is also a style of beer. An Oktoberfest beer is brewed very much like the reddish-amber Märzen beer that was served at the Crown Prince’s wedding in 1810.

FRENCHIE DAVIS AT BILL’S

Wednesday, October 10, at Bill’s Wilton Manors, Wilton Drive. Frenchie Davis, the recently-out sensation from “American Idol”
Season 2 and Fox’s “The Voice,” will perform her new dance track, “Love’s Got a Hold of Me,” and other hits.

For more information, visit billsfillingstation.com.

GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Saturday, October 6, at 8 p.m. As a show of appreciation for the Sunshine Cathedral’s support of both the chorus and the LGBT community, the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida will present a cabaret-style show, at the Sunshine Cathedral (1480 SW 9th Ave., Fort Lauderdale). Held in conjunction with the Cathedral’s 40th Anniversary Celebration Weekend, the performance will feature the chorus’ Ensemble (an elite group of approximately 20 singers from within the 150-member chorus) as well as individual members of the chorus.

Tickets, at $20 each, will be available at the door. For more information, contact John Burch at (954) 563-8658 or (305) 409-0939.

4th ANNUAL FORT LAUDERDALE GAY AND LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL (FLGLFF)

October 4 to 7. Presented by HBO Latin America, in its fourth year, FLGLFF will spotlight 19 feature films and 17 short films. This year, FLGLFF will move its host theater to the historic Classic Gateway Theatre. In addition, moviegoers will now be able to purchase cocktails during all screenings. Tickets are now available for Festival members (and will be available to the general public on September 10).

MIAMI

MDGLCC BUSINESS BUILDERS LUNCHEON

Thursday, October 4. The Miami- Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce presents its monthly networking program at Anacapri Restaurant, 2530 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables. Registration 11:30 a.m. with luncheon/networking from noon to 1:30 p.m. Cost: MDGLCC members ($30), Potential Members ($40, $10 applied to new MDGLCC membership). Includes seated style lunch limited to 25 persons. Please bring a friend. RSVP requested at rsvp@gaybizmiami.com or (305) 673- 4440.

MIAMI MDGLCC GALLA LUNCHEON

Wednesday, October 10. Monthly networking program for the Gay and Lesbian Lawyer’s Association, tailored for attorneys, judges and legal professionals held on the middle Wednesday of each month. Morton’s Steakhouse, 1200 Brickell Avenue. Registration 11:30 a.m. with luncheon/ networking from noon to 1:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: TBD. Cost: MDGLCC members ($35), Potential Members ($50, $10 applied to new MDGLCC membership). Includes seated style lunch limited to 20 persons. RSVP requested at rsvp@gaybizmiami.com or (305) 673-4440.

SMARTY PANTS BAR

Win a LAS VEGAS GET-A-WAY VACATION PACKAGE, including away a 3-day, 2-night stay in Las Vegas, Nevada, to celebrate Smarty Pants 9th anniversary

The package includes hotel accommodations, airfare, and a coupon book for casino play, show discounts, and meals valued at $500 for two adults. The drawing takes place Sunday, September 23, at 8 p.m. There are several ways to be entered into the drawing. To enter the drawing, you must be at least 21 years of age, and YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN. Official rules are posted at the bar (2400 E Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale).

GATEWAY THEATRE CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL

Enjoy the classics of cinema the way they were meant to be seen: In a theatre! From Friday, August 31 through Thursday, September 7, at Fort Lauderdale’s Classic Gateway Theatre (1820 E Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale—which opened in 1951, and hosted the 1960 world premiere of “Where the Boys Are,” a film that helped put Fort Lauderdale on the cultural map for generations). The festival will also include screenings of classic newsreels.

The scheduled films include:

“ANNIE HALL” Woody Allen at his best. Co-starring Diane Keaton.

“CHINATOWN” One of the greatest screenplays of all time. Directed by Roman Polanski. Starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and John Huston.

“CITIZEN KANE” One of the five greatest movies ever. Directed by and starring Orson Welles.

“MIDNIGHT COWBOY” Director John Schlesinger’s groundbreaking 1969 film is the only “X-rated” feature to ever win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight. A portion of ticket sales benefits the Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund.

For more information, visit thegatewaytheatre.com.

4th ANNUAL FORT LAUDERDALE GAY AND LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL (FLGLFF)

October 4 to 7. Presented by HBO Latin America, in its fourth year, FLGLFF will spotlight 19 feature films and 17 short films. This year, FLGLFF will move its host theater to the historic Classic Gateway Theatre. In addition, moviegoers will now be able to purchase cocktails during all screenings. Tickets are now available for Festival members (and will be available to the general public on September 10).

MIAMI

FLORIDA GRAND OPERA

The Florida Grand Opera (FGO) presents its 72nd continuous season, beginning November 17. Boasting a classic selection of works as well as the return of company favorites in leading roles, the 2012-2013 productions include:

Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” (“The Magic Flute”), Bellini’s “La Sonnambula,” and Verdi’s “La Traviata.” The new season begins with Puccini’s most famous and popular opera, “La Bohème,” last seen at FGO in 2008. The inspiration for the widely popular musical “Rent,” this opera follows a group of young bohemians living in Paris in the 1830s, focusing on the love story of Rodolfo, the poet, and Mimì, a seamstress suffering from a life-threatening illness.

• MIAMI – Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County / Ziff Ballet Opera House, November 17, at 7 p.m. (Opening Night); November 21, 24, 27, and 30, at 8 p.m.; December 2, matinee at 2 p.m.

• FORT LAUDERDALE – Broward Center for the Performing Arts / Au-Rene Theater, December 6, at 7:30 p.m.; December 8, at 8 p.m.

SOUTH BEACH

FIONA APPLE

At the Fillmore Miami Beach, on Sept. 30. Her last album, “Extraordinary Machine” (2005) was named one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Best Albums of the Decade. Her latest LP, “The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More than Ropes Will Ever Do,” debuted on June 19. A reviewer in “American Songwriter” wrote, “‘The Idler Wheel’ isn’t always pretty, but it pulses with life, brutal and true Tickets are $34.50 to $65.50, and are available at LiveNation. com, Ticketmaster outlets and at the Fillmore box office.

More information, visit fillmoremb. com.

SMARTY PANTS BAR
Win a LAS VEGAS GET-A-WAY
VACATION PACKAGE, including
away a 3-day, 2-night stay in
Las Vegas, Nevada, to celebrate
Smarty Pants 9th anniversary.
The package includes hotel
accommodations, airfare, and a
coupon book for casino play, show
discounts, and meals valued at
$500 for two adults. The drawing
takes place Sunday, September
23, at 8 p.m. There are several
ways to be entered into the
drawing. To enter the drawing,
you must be at least 21 years of
age, and YOU MUST BE PRESENT
TO WIN. Official rules are posted
at the bar (2400 E Oakland Park
Blvd., Fort Lauderdale).
GATEWAY THEATRE CLASSIC
FILM FESTIVAL
Enjoy the classics of cinema
the way they were meant to
be seen: In a theatre! From
Friday, August 31 through
Thursday, September 7, at Fort
Lauderdale’s Classic Gateway
Theatre (1820 E Sunrise Blvd.,
Fort Lauderdale—which opened
in 1951, and hosted the 1960
world premiere of “Where the
Boys Are,” a film that helped put
Fort Lauderdale on the cultural
map for generations). The festival
will also include screenings of
classic newsreels. The scheduled
films include:
“ANNIE HALL” Woody Allen
at his best. Co-starring Diane
Keaton.
“CHINATOWN” One of the
greatest screenplays of all time.
Directed by Roman Polanski.
Starring Jack Nicholson, Faye
Dunaway, and John Huston.
“CITIZEN KANE” One of the five
greatest movies ever. Directed by
and starring Orson Welles.
“MIDNIGHT COWBOY”
Director John Schlesinger’s
groundbreaking 1969 film is the
only “X-rated” feature to ever
win the Academy Award for Best
Picture. Starring Dustin Hoffman
and Jon Voight.
A portion of ticket sales benefits
the Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund.
For more information, visit
thegatewaytheatre.com.
4th ANNUAL FORT
LAUDERDALE GAY AND LESBIAN
FILM FESTIVAL (FLGLFF)
October 4 to 7. Presented by
HBO Latin America, in its fourth
year, FLGLFF will spotlight 19
feature films and 17 short films.
This year, FLGLFF will move
its host theater to the historic
Classic Gateway Theatre. In
addition, moviegoers will now be
able to purchase cocktails during
all screenings. Tickets are now
available for Festival members
(and will be available to the
general public on September 10).