Mayor of Munich Dieter Reiter has started the Oktoberfest by tapping the first barrel of beer in the Schottenhamel tent.

With four strikes, Reiter drove the tap into the barrel and said the magic words: “O’zapft is!” (“It’s tapped!”).

The first mug of beer was given to the Bavarian Prime Minister, Horst Seehofer.

Oktoberfest fans flock to Munich from all over the world to enjoy unique beers and fine food and see the impressive young waitresses who skillfully serve glasses of 1 liter beer each.

The organizers of the event estimate that visitors would reach 6.4 million during the 16-day festival, whereas profits for the local community, including local businesses such as hotels and shops, are expected to reach many million euros.