Six million visitors, seven million litres of beer, half a million chickens and quite a lot of rain – the world's largest, rowdiest and most famous beer festival got off to a wet start in Munich. Although visitor numbers for the first weekend were down on last year, the heavy rain and stricter security did little to dampen the spirits of the thousands of beer lovers gathered in the 14 vast tents on Munich's Theresienwiese fairground.
Visitors in the Hacker-Pschorr tent wait for the start of the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festivalJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesA waitress carries beer mugs through the crowds in the Hofbraeu tentJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesTwo women dressed in the traditional Bavarian dirndl drink beer at Oktoberfest 2016Michaela Rehle/ReutersVisitors use umbrellas to protect themselves (and their beers) from the rain in a beer gardenJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesThe lights of fairground rides are reflected in the rain-slicked streetsJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesVisitors enjoy a funfair ride at the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festival in MunichJoerg Koch/Getty Images
The festival has its origins in the wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen in 1810. The public celebrations went on for five days and were so popular they have been repeated every October, but were later brought forward to start in September when the temperatures in Bavaria are usually warmer. This year's Oktoberfest runs for 17 days, from 17 September to 3 October.
Entry to the festival is free, but beer prices go up every year. You can't get a beer for under €10 (about £8.50, $11) this year – but that's for a litre (about 1.75 pints). Each of Munich's main Munich breweries has its own enormous tent with bands and hundreds of long beer tables seating up to 8,500 revellers.
Members of brass bands and other traditional Bavarian associations relax in the Paulaner beer tent after the annual riflemen's paradeJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesVisitors reach for free one-litre glasses of beer to kick off the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festival in the Paulaner tentJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesA man celebrates as he gets a free beer in the Paulaner tentJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesRevellers cheer as a visitor drinks beer during the opening day of the 183rd OktoberfestMichaela Rehle/ReutersA waitress carries 10 mugs of beer through the crowds in the Hofbraeu tentJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesA waitress carries beer mugs in the Hofbraeu tentJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesOktoberfest revellers raise their glasses in the Hofbraeu tentJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesPeople wait for the Hofbraeuhaus beer tent to openJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesA visitor poses for a picture on the opening day of the 183rd Oktoberfest in MunichMichaela Rehle/ReutersRevellers drink their beers in the pouring rain at a beer gardenJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesPeople in traditional Bavarian clothes walk through the rainy festivalJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesVisitors in traditional Bavarian clothes try out a ride in the Oktoberfest funfairJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesVisitors enjoy a funfair ride in front of Munich's Paulskirche churchJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesPeople kiss as they queue for food at Oktoberfest 2016Joerg Koch/Getty ImagesA couple kiss in the rain at Oktoberfest 2016Joerg Koch/Getty ImagesFairground rides whirl and blur as night falls on OktoberfestJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesA Ferris wheel is reflected in a puddle at Oktoberfest 2016Joerg Koch/Getty ImagesVisitors walk through the Oktoberfest 2016 fairgroundJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesNight time view of the Theresienwiese during OktoberfestJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesA woman poses for a photo in the Oktoberfest fairgroundJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesWomen in traditional Bavarian dress take part in the annual riflemen's paradeJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesMembers of a traditional Bavarian association participate in the annual riflemen's paradeJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesMembers of a riflemen's association participate in the traditional paradeJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesA baby is pulled in a traditional wooden cart during the annual riflemen's paradeJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesA band performs in the traditional Bavarian riflemen's paradeJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesThe 'king' of a Bavarian riflemen's association takes part in a parade to officially open the beer festivalJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesA man in traditional Bavarian costume participates in the annual riflemen's paradeJoerg Koch/Getty ImagesA woman poses with tourists at Oktoberfest 2016Joerg Koch/Getty ImagesVisitors wearing lederhosen are seen at the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festivalJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesVisitors wearing traditional Bavarian costume arrive for the start of the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festivalJohannes Simon/Getty ImagesA visitor draped in a Mexican flag drinks in a beer tent at OktoberfestMichaela Rehle/Reuters
Responding to a series of attacks in recent months, authorities erected a metal fence, banned rucksacks and large bags, installed more surveillance cameras and made visitors go through security checks to enter the festival grounds. In July this year, a German teenager fatally shot nine people at a Munich shopping mall before killing himself. Two other attacks carried out by asylum seekers were claimed by the Islamic State (Isis) group; several people were wounded, but only the attackers were killed.
A security worker checks the bags of visitors on the opening day of the 183rd OktoberfestMichaela Rehle/ReutersA security official checks people as they arrive for Oktoberfest 2016Michaela Rehle/ReutersPolice officers keep guard as visitors arrive for OktoberfestMichaela Rehle/ReutersPolice walk through the Oktoberfest 2016 festival groundsJohannes Simon/Getty Images
Oktoberfest is a major highlight of the year for the Bavarian city's residents, who often wear traditional lederhosen or dirndls, as well as for visitors who travel from across the globe for the festival.
