Munich Oktoberfest Begins as Mayor Taps the First Keg

MUNICH – Munich’s iconic Oktoberfest began Saturday as the city’s mayor tapped the ceremonial first beer keg, officially launching the 191st installment of the world’s biggest folk festival.

Mayor Dominik Krause needed just two strikes to open the keg before declaring the time-honored phrase, “O’zapft is” — meaning, “It’s tapped.”

Early in the morning, thousands of festivalgoers rushed into the beer tents at Munich’s Theresienwiese grounds to claim coveted seats at the long benches. Dressed in traditional Bavarian attire — dirndls for many women and lederhosen for many men — visitors quickly settled into the celebration, with brass bands, fresh beer, singing and dancing setting the mood.

The Oktoberfest experience extended well beyond its famous beer, as visitors also lined up for classic Bavarian fare including pretzels, roast pork and sausages.

Organizers expect roughly 6 million people to attend the 16-day Munich Oktoberfest, which runs through Oct. 4. While most visitors come from Munich and other parts of southern Germany, the annual celebration also draws travelers from across Germany and countries around the world.

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Security has been increased after last year’s festival was temporarily shut down because of overcrowding. According to the German news agency dpa, organizers installed AI-assisted cameras this year to help identify growing crowds before they become a safety concern.

Officials also imposed bans on knives and airborne devices, particularly drones. Guests face entry screenings, cannot bring large bags and are prohibited from smoking marijuana at the event. Dpa reported that about 600 police officers are assigned around the festival, supported by Bavarian riot police, specialist pickpocket investigators and international task forces representing eight countries.