Lord Mayor Christian Ude and the German Parliament from Munich gave an official proclamation in 1996.

Frankenmuth's Oktoberfest was declared the first Oktoberfest to operate with the blessing of the original Oktoberfest in Munich.  With this proclamation, the event was moved into September to coincide with the opening of the Munich event. Also, for the first time in history, the world-famous Hofbrauhaus brewery of Munich exported their beer to the United States.  The Hofbrauhaus became the official beer sponsor of the Frankenmuth Oktoberfest in 1997. With Frankenmuth's unique German heritage and culture, the Frankenmuth Oktoberfest strives to preserve the sights and sounds of the Munich Oktoberfest.