Cheers! Millions don their best lederhosen to descend on Munich and start the serious drinking as Oktoberfest officially opens
- The 188th edition, runs through to October 3, and typically draws about 6 million visitors every year
The beer is flowing and millions of people descending on the Bavarian capital to celebrate the official opening of Oktoberfest.
With the traditional cry of ‘O’zapft is’ – ‘It’s tapped’ – Mayor Dieter Reiter inserted the tap in the first keg at noon on Saturday, officially opening the 18-day festivities.
Revelers decked out in traditional lederhosen and dirndl dresses trooped to Munich’s festival grounds Saturday morning, filling the dozens of traditional tents in anticipation of getting their first 1-liter (2-pint) mug of beer.
Minutes before the first keg was tapped, to cheers from the crowd, Bavarian Gov. Markus Soeder asked festivalgoers if they were ready for Oktoberfest to begin.
‘I can only say one thing: This is the most beautiful, biggest, most important festival in the world,’ he said.
The Oktoberfest, the 188th edition, runs through to October 3, and typically draws about 6 million visitors every year. The event was skipped in 2020 and 2021 as authorities grappled with COVID-19, but returned in 2022.
A 1-liter mug costs between 12.60 euros and 14.90 euros (£10.86 to £12.84) this year, an increase of around 6 per cent from last year.
The Oktoberfest, the 188th edition, began Saturday at noon with the 18-day festival running through to October 3
The event typically attracts around 6 million visitors per year
The event was skipped in 2020 and 2021 as authorities grappled with COVID-19 , but returned in 2022
Minutes before the first keg was tapped, to cheers from the crowd, Bavarian Gov. Markus Soeder asked festivalgoers if they were ready for Oktoberfest to begin
A 1-liter mug costs between 12.60 euros and 14.90 euros (£10.86 to £12.84) this year, an increase of around 6 per cent from last year
A young reveller dressed in traditional clothing posing for the camera
A waitress serves mugs of beer during the official opening of the 188th Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival in Munich
Women with glasses of beer pose for a photo on day one of the beer festival in Munich
People have beers during the official opening of the 188th Oktoberfest
A woman smiles gleefully as she holds a glass of beer at the festival
Youngsters run in as the gates open to the Bavarian-based festival
Visistors make their way to the gates
Oktoberfest lovers wearing traditional Bavarian costumes cheer as they wait for the the opening moment of the Oktoberfest 2023, Munich’s annual beer festival,
People dressed in traditional clothes, pose, as they attend the celebrations
Some revellers were creative with their outfits for the festivals
Gingerbread hearts are pictured at the world’s largest beer festival in Munich
An image of statue at the festival
A person drinking a mug of beer at the event
Festival goers with glasses of beer pose for a photo
Mayor of Munich (SPD) Dieter Reiter (right) and Bavaria’s State Premier and leader of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) Markus Soeder pose with beer mugs
The silhouette of a woman is seen on a banner during the opening of the Oktoberfest 2023
People have mugs of beer during the official opening of the 188th Oktoberfest
Visitors jostle for a beer mug during the event
A waiter of the Hofbraeu tent arrives with 1 liter beer mugs on the opening day
A waiter serves mugs of beer
People dressed in historical clothes attend the parade
A band playing the drums during the opening of the event
Men, women and youngsters pictured all dressed in historical Bavarian attire during the parade
Revellers enjoying themselves during the celebrations
Men dressed in traditional attire riding horses and walking side by side during the parade
A police officer and his dog check the area
A group of young revellers strike a pose at the festival
People run to enter the 188th ‘Oktoberfest’ beer festival in Munich
A young women runs to reserve tables on the opening day
People sit in a marquee shortly after the opening of the beer festival in Munich
People basking in the sunshine as they attend the opening day of the event
A group of revellers at the entrance of a marquee
A group of young females dressed in traditional clothing pose for a picture
A picture of police officers patrolling the area on the opening day of the celebration
A young women poses with three elderly gentlemen dressed in traditional clothing
A large view shows Munich’s Theresienwiese during the opening of this year’s Oktoberfest
Festival goers reach out for the first glasses of beer on day one of the 188th ‘Oktoberfest’
A waitress serves mugs of beer to a group of excited revellers
A waiter carries a tray full of food as revellers enjoy the opening day of the beer festival in Munich
A waiter serves mugs of beer at the event
Visitors celebrate as they drink one of the first mugs of beer at the world’s largest beer festival in Munich
Visitors enjoying their mugs of beer during the official opening of the event
German singer Florian Silbereisen (left) and Austrian singer Andreas Gabalier pose during Oktoberfest
With the traditional cry of ‘O’zapft is’ – ‘It’s tapped’ – Mayor Dieter Reiter inserted the tap in the first keg at noon on Saturday, officially opening the 18-day festivities
A general view during the official opening of the 188th Oktoberfest
Revellers leave marks on the tables on day one of the event
A couple men bring baskets in the Hofbrau tent prior to the event starting
A waiter cleans the table in the Ochsenbraterei tent before the start of the event
Staff members arrive to the scene before the gates are opened to the rest of the public
Oktoberfest lovers wearing traditional costumes queue to enter a beer tent
Oktoberfest workers set up the beer keg for the opening of the event
An Oktoberfest waitress gets ready for the opening of the fesitival
A waitress waits for guests in a beer tent before the opening of Oktoberfest
First visitors sit at their places in a beer tent on opening day
Two vendors wearing the traditional “Dirndl” dress hang up gingerbread hearts for sale
Gingerbread hearts for sale are displayed at a booth
A vendor wearing the traditional “Lederhosen” leather trousers hangs up gingerbread hearts for sale at his booth
A sign forbids dancing on beer tent tables while Oktoberfest waiters prepare a beer tent
A sign reads “Welcome to the Oktoberfest” on early morning
The sun goes up on early morning prior to the launch of the event
An Oktoberfest waiter puts finishing touches for the opening of the event
Visitors stand in queue ahead on opening day of the beer festival in Munich
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