A staff member serves beer during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
With the mayor of Munich traditionally broaching the first keg of beer, the 186th Oktoberfest, one of the world's largest folk festival, officially opened on Saturday.
From Sept 21 to Oct 6, it is expected that more than 6 million Oktoberfest fans and visitors from all over the world will enjoy festival beer and culinary delicacies over the festival grounds. Everyone here can feel a regular niche for old-fashioned festival traditions, Bavarian customs, local hospitality and a winning blend of traditional and modern folk music.
This year, the attendances to the Oktoberfest are presented with climate-neutral beer. "We want to organize an ecological festival," said Baumgartner, head of the Oktoberfest. The brewery's environmental protection activities have little influence on the price of beer, and it costs just over 11 euros per liter in 2019.
The Oktoberfest has originated from the wedding of the Bavarian royal family in 1810. Since 1819, it was officially an event of the city of Munich. The festival grounds will this year occupy over 34.5 hectares of land, with a total of about 13,000 people being employed at the Oktoberfest, according to official data.
A girl drinks beer during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
A staff member serves beer during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter taps the first barrel of beer to open the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
A staff member serves traditional Bavarian food during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
A staff member serves beer during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
People drink beer in a festival tent during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
A girl enjoys beer during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
People drink beer in a festival tent during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
People visit a festival tent during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
People enjoy beer during the first day of the Oktoberfest 2019 in Munich, Germany, Sept. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
