MUNICH (AP) — Oktoberfest is open.

Mayor Dieter Reiter formally began Oktoberfest at midday Saturday when he inserted the faucet into the primary beer keg, signaling the 189th begin of the pageant. Hundreds of beer lovers celebrated within the Munich fairground as the primary to clink their mugs through the world’s largest folks pageant.

Servers instantly started ferrying trays — every carrying as much as 8 glass mugs — to tables. Revelers began clinking their mugs and taking deep gulps of beer within the stuffy warmth of the tent.

The celebration runs by Oct. 6 in 18 giant tents masking the Theresienwiese fairground.

This 12 months’s pageant contains stepped-up safety within the wake of a lethal knife assault in Solingen, a metropolis roughly 470 kilometers (292 miles) northwest of Munich. The violence on Aug. 23 left three individuals useless and eight extra wounded, and the Islamic State group claimed duty for the assault, with out citing proof. In consequence, organizers added metallic detectors to the safety lineup for the primary time in Oktoberfest’s historical past, however stated there have been no concrete threats.

Tens of 1000’s of individuals lined the streets early Saturday to observe the opening parade as others raced to say tables contained in the tents. They gossiped, performed playing cards and walked across the fairgrounds to take a look at the meals choices and amusement park rides to kill time earlier than they may begin consuming.

Revelers sprinted by the fairgrounds at 9 a.m. as quickly because the entrances opened, regardless of safety officers’ makes an attempt to maintain the procession orderly. They laughed regardless of the morning chill — somebody might be heard shrieking “why are we working!” — and raced to get in line once more, however this time to be first contained in the tents.

Some 6 million guests are anticipated over the pageant’s 16 days — as much as 600,000 every day — and might count on to shell out between 13.60 and 15.30 euros ($15.12 to $17.01) for a 1-liter mug of beer (33 fl oz). This 12 months’s costs are roughly 3.87% greater than in 2023.

Mikael Caselitz, 24, was born and raised in Munich and has attended Oktoberfest for years. He stated everybody ought to journey to Munich for the pageant not less than as soon as of their lives.

“It may well get actually crowded and disgusting when individuals puke on the aspect of the highway,” he joked, “however total it’s a very enjoyable expertise.”

Ollie Standen awakened at 6 a.m. to get in line early for Oktoberfest, the place the beer begins flowing at midday. The 21-year-old from England is in Munich this 12 months for a college trade program and a neighborhood good friend informed him he needed to be a part of the festivities. He stated he’s trying ahead to attempting completely different German beers that aren’t normally present in the UK.

“It’s an awesome German custom and I’m excited to be right here,” he stated.

The occasion was skipped in 2020 and 2021 as authorities grappled with COVID-19, however returned in 2022.

The primary Oktoberfest was held Oct. 17, 1810 to rejoice the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Theresa of Saxony. The venue, a meadow on the sting of Munich on the time, was known as “Theresienwiese” to honor the bride. Whereas that title stays, the beginning date has moved as much as September, when the temperatures in Bavaria are normally hotter.