Oktoberfest opens as Munich mayor taps first beer keg

The 191st Munich Oktoberfest officially opened at noon on Saturday, with the city's new mayor tapping the festival's first barrel of beer.

The annual ceremony, which takes place at midday, is always an eagerly awaited event, with no beer served until it has taken place.

Relief for Munich's new mayor 

Green Party politician Dominik Krause needed just two strikes of the mallet for his first ceremonial tapping before handing the first liter mug of beer to Bavarian Premier Markus Söder of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU).

Krause had practiced for the occasion with a personal tapping coach. The 36-year-old had said he hoped to open the barrel with two or three strikes. His predecessor, Dieter Reiter of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), had set a high standard by regularly opening the first barrel with two strikes.

After the tapping, Krause then presented the first liter of beer to Bavarian Premier Markus Söder of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU). It's the first time Söder has received the ceremonial drink from a Green mayor.

Cannon fire then signalled that beer may be served throughout the festival grounds.

Oktoberfest: What to know about 'the best party in Germany'

Revelers race to grab drinking spots

Crowds had earlier rushed onto the Oktoberfest grounds in the southern German city of Munich shortly after the gates opened at 9 a.m on Saturday.

Some visitors ran toward the beer tents to claim the best seats after waiting for several hours. Members of the first group in line said they had arrived at 7 p.m. on Friday with camping chairs, sleeping bags and emergency blankets.

Organizers briefly held back sections of the crowd at the entrance, allowing people onto the grounds in stages and preventing a more concentrated rush.

How big is Oktoberfest?

More than 6 million people are expected to attend the 191st Oktoberfest, which runs for 16 days until October 4.

The festival, known locally as the Wiesn, features beer tents, fairground rides, traditional Bavarian food and live music.

Opening day was expected to bring blue skies and temperatures of up to 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit).

How much is an Oktoberfest beer?

A 1-liter (1.8-pint) beer costs between €14.80 and €15.90 ($17–$18.27) this year.

The average price has risen by 2.38% compared with last year to €15.61.

An analysis found that the average price has almost quintupled since 1985, when a liter of beer cost about 6.25 deutschmarks — equivalent to €3.20 at the fixed conversion rate. Consumer prices have risen by about 120% over the same period.

Edited by: Karl Sexton

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