Oktoberfest has opened in Munich, and visitors from around the globe are celebrating the start of the annual drink-a-thon with more than just beer.
 
Drawing in around six million tourists, Oktoberfest is a major highlight of the year for residents, who often wear traditional lederhosen or dirndls, as well as for visitors who travel from across the globe for the festival.

People in traditional costumes attend a costume parade during the Oktoberfest in Munich, southern Germany, on Sept. 18, 2016. The 183rd Munich Oktoberfest lasts from Sept. 17 to Oct. 3. (Xinhua/Zhu Sheng)

The 183rd Oktoberfest began with the traditional “grand entry” of the beer tent landlords and representatives from different breweries arriving on decorated horse-drawn carriages. At noon sharp, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter tapped open the first beer keg with a traditional shout of “O’zapft is!” (“It’s tapped”).
 
The Oktoberfest has its origins in the 1810 wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.