This browser does not support the Video element.
Oktoberfest server wows with her beer-carrying skills
She makes it look easy! (Credit: Niko Schilling via Storyful)
MUNICH - Oktoberfest officially started this weekend after Mayor Dieter Reiter inserted the tap into the first beer keg, signaling the 189th start of the festival.
Thousands of beer lovers then celebrated in the Munich fairground as the first to clink their mugs during the world’s largest folk festival.
When is Oktoberfest?
The celebration runs through Oct. 6 in 18 large tents covering the Theresienwiese fairground.
This year’s festival includes stepped-up security in the wake of a deadly knife attack in Solingen, a city roughly 470 kilometers (292 miles) northwest of Munich. The violence on Aug. 23 left three people dead and eight more wounded, and the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, without citing evidence. As a result, organizers added metal detectors to the security lineup for the first time in Oktoberfest’s history, but said there were no concrete threats.
MUNICH, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 21: Revelers long for the first beer mug at Paulaner beer tent on the opening day on the opening day of the 2024 Munich Oktoberfest, Munich's annual beer festival, on September 21, 2024 in Munich, Germany. This year's Okto …
How many people are expected at Oktoberfest?
Some 6 million visitors are expected over the festival's 16 days — up to 600,000 each day — and can expect to shell out between $15.12 to $17.01 for a 1-liter mug of beer (33 fl oz). This year's prices are roughly 3.87% more than in 2023.
RELATED: National Park Service blames bag of Cheetos for disrupting entire Carlsbad Caverns ecosystem
Mikael Caselitz, 24, was born and raised in Munich and has attended Oktoberfest for years. He said everyone should travel to Munich for the festival at least once in their lives.
"It can get really crowded and disgusting when people puke on the side of the road," he joked, "but overall it’s a really fun experience."
Ollie Standen woke up at 6 a.m. to get in line early for Oktoberfest, where the beer starts flowing at noon. The 21-year-old from England is in Munich this year for a university exchange program and a local friend told him he had to join the festivities. He said he’s looking forward to trying different German beers that aren’t usually found in the United Kingdom.
"It’s a great German tradition and I’m excited to be here," he said.
History of Oktoberfest
The first Oktoberfest was held Oct. 17, 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Theresa of Saxony. The venue, a meadow on the edge of Munich at the time, was called "Theresienwiese" to honor the bride. While that name remains, the start date has moved up to September, when the temperatures in Bavaria are usually warmer.