The Oktoberfest in the city of Munich, Germany, started on Saturday with a large crowd present. As soon as the festival gates opened, the crowd rushed towards the beer tents to claim the best spots.
Enthusiastic Presence of Visitors
Some visitors had been standing in line for several hours before the festival started and ran towards the tents to get the best seats. The first group in line announced that they had arrived at the site with camping chairs and sleeping bags since 7 PM on Friday.
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Organizers temporarily held back some sections of the crowd at the entrance to allow for a gradual entry and prevent a sudden rush.
Opening Ceremony and Beer Prices
Beer will not be served until the official opening ceremony at noon, when Dominic Kraus, the new mayor of Munich from the Green Party, will tap the first keg of beer with the traditional shout of "O'zapft is" to announce the start of the festival. Kraus, 36, hopes to open the keg with two or three hammer strikes during his first Oktoberfest as mayor.
He will then present the first liter of beer to Markus Söder, the Bavarian Prime Minister from the Christian Social Union (CSU). This is the first time Söder will receive the symbolic drink from a Green mayor.
The sound of a cannon shot signals that beer can be served throughout the festival grounds. Over 6 million people are expected to attend the 191st Oktoberfest, which will last for 16 days until October 4.
This festival, locally known as Wiesn, features beer tents, amusement rides, traditional Bavarian food, and live music. The opening day is forecasted to have blue skies and temperatures up to 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit).
The price of a liter of beer this year ranges from 14.80 to 15.90 euros (17 to 18.27 dollars). The average price has increased by 2.38 percent compared to last year, reaching 15.61 euros. Analyses have shown that the average price has nearly quintupled since 1985 when a liter of beer cost about 6.25 German marks.
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