Beer flows as Germany kicks off Oktoberfest

AAA??Sep. 22, 2012?7:34 AM ET
Beer flows as Germany kicks off Oktoberfest
AP

A waitress carries beer mugs in the Hofbraeuhaus tent after the opening of the famous Bavarian "Oktoberfest" beer festival in Munich, southern Germany, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. The world's largest beer festival, to be held from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7, 2012 will see some million visitors. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

A waitress carries beer mugs in the Hofbraeuhaus tent after the opening of the famous Bavarian "Oktoberfest" beer festival in Munich, southern Germany, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. The world's largest beer festival, to be held from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7, 2012 will see some million visitors. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Two women react, as they arrive for the opening of the famous Bavarian "Oktoberfest" beer festival as rain falls, in Munich, southern Germany, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. The world's largest beer festival, to be held from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7, 2012 will see some million visitors. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Young people enjoy the opening ceremony of the famous Bavarian "Oktoberfest" beer festival in Munich, southern Germany, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. The world's largest beer festival, to be held from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7, 2012 will see some million visitors. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

A man wearing traditional Bavarian clothes wears a decorated hat with hops, prior to the opening of the famous Bavarian "Oktoberfest" beer festival in front of a beer tent during heavy rain in Munich, southern Germany, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. The world's largest beer festival, to be held from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7, 2012 will see some million visitors. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

A waitress cleans tables and benches prior to opening of the famous Bavarian "Oktoberfest" beer festival, in Munich, southern Germany, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. The world's largest beer festival, to be held from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7, 2012 will see some million visitors. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

BERLIN (AP) ? The mayor of Munich has tapped the first keg of beer to kick off the 179th traditional German folk festival Oktoberfest.

With only two blows of his hammer and a cry of "O'zapft is" ? "It's Tapped" ? Mayor Christian Ude inserted the first tap into the first keg as the festival opened Saturday.

More than six million guests from around the world are expected to descend on the beer tents of Munich to celebrate Oktoberfest through October 7.

Last year's visitors consumed almost 8 million 2-pint (1-liter) mugs of beer. This year a mug, called "Mass" in German, sells at up to ?9.50 ($12.30).

German authorities keep security tight around the fairgrounds which accommodate hundreds of thousands of people at a time, although, they say, no concrete threat exists.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-22-Germany-Oktoberfest/id-bf49887ba93846f194a94fa98656abb5

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