Oktoberfest, world’s largest beer festival, opens in Munich
(VOVWORLD) - Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter gave the Oktoberfest in the Bavarian capital its traditional launch on Saturday, opening a first barrel of beer and marking it with the time-honored phrase "O'zapft is!" (Bavarian for "It is tapped").
Christian Scharpf, head of the organizing committee of the 190th Oktoberfest, said the festival introduces new features every year. This year’s highlights include a ghost train ride "Ride to Hell" through the historic Wiesn grounds and the Skylift observation tower to enjoy the view of the city from 71 meters above. A new “craft beer” section has also been launched, featuring specialty brews from small Bavarian breweries to enrich visitors’ experience.
Oktoberfest is the world’s biggest beer festival, held annually in Munich, Germany, drawing an average of six million visitors from across the globe—four times the city’s population.
The Oktoberfest 2025 runs through October 5 for more than two weeks.