Let It Beer! Oktoberfest Fun Begins in Germany

On Saturday, September 16, the world’s largest beer festival kicked off in Munich, with the city mayor tapping the first keg at noon. Check out the highlights of the opening days of this year’s Oktoberfest in Spunik’s photo gallery.

“O’zapft is!” These are “the magic words” that mark the official start of the annual Oktoberfest extravaganza. Since 1950, the Mayor of Munich has been tasked with the official commencement of the world’s largest beer festival, shouting out this traditional phrase in the Bavarian dialect, which can be translated as “It’s uncorked!” and means that the celebration has begun!