With a cry of 'O zapft is' Munich's mayor
Dieter Reiter tapped the first keg of 2014's Oktoberfest festivities in the
Bavarian capital of Munich where 6.4 million revellers are expected over the
next 16 days.
The first steins of Munich's Oktoberfest are
consumed on the opening morning of the world-famous 16-day annual
celebration of beer
A reveller wears a traditional Bavarian outfit, known as a 'Dirndl', as she laughs over a litre of beer at the Schottenhamel beer tent in Munich on Saturday
Nightfall gave the beer festival a real carnival type atmosphere, as neon lights lit up buildings and fairground rides
Looking the part in traditional outfits, these visitors are already in high spirits ahead of the festivities at the 181st Oktoberfest in Munich
An Oktoberfest party-goer poses for the camera in traditional Bavarian attire in the Schottenhamel beer tent
The first mugs of the iconic cultural
celebrations in southern Germany are raised in Munich
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter taps the first beer barrel of the 2014 Oktoberfest with a large wooden mallet as other officials watch on
The line-up is long and densely populated outside the Schottenhamel tent as the 16-days of festivities begin
A traditionally-dressed women protects her hair from the weather as she waits to join the party inside a tent in Munich
A crowd gives a collective cheers on day one of
Oktoberfest in Munich
It takes serious skills to be a waitress at
Oktoberfest as this woman shows by holding 13 steins - the world record
for a waiter is 27!