Munich, Germany - Munich opened the beer taps on Saturday to launch Oktoberfest, with an estimated six million people expected to attend the beer celebration over 16 days.
Munich Mayor Christian Ude ordered the tapping of the first beer barrel, the ritual kick-off for the 174th edition of the party.
The festivities are held at Theresienwiese, a 31-hectare park with 14 large tents where drinkers, many wearing traditional Bavarian costumes, take their spots at long wooden tables.
In line with tradition, the first mass, or litre, was served to the minister-president of Bavaria, Edmund Stoiber, who is set to leave office at the end of the month after 14 years in his post.
Last year more than six million litres (13 million pints) of beer were drunk.
The event also generated nearly €1-billion for the Bavarian capital, with 450 million coming directly from the festival and 300 million earned through hotels, which are always packed for the occasion.