Oktoberfest Kicks Off for the 179th Time With Traditional Bavarian Costume Parade in Munich

The world's largest beer festival kicked off for the 179th time over the weekend. Thousands of Oktoberfest visitors attended the traditional parade on Sunday which marked the second day of the 16-day party. Hundreds of people marched through the center of Munich in Bavarian costumes, including brass bands in the typical lederhosen leather-trousers. At the Oktoberfest grounds, the much sought-after seats in one of the 14 beer tents are sold out weeks before the official start of the festival which actually opens in late September. All tents combined have a seating capacity of around 105,000 people who are being served from 95 beer stands. According to the Oktoberfest organizers, last year saw a record 6.9 million visitors who consumed 7.5 million one liter beers known as "Mass." Over 500 thousand roast chickens and 118 oxen were eaten at last year's festivities where the price for the one liter Mass was between 8.95 euros and 9.20 euros. Not much has changed at the Oktoberfest over the years, except for the price of a Mass, a hotly debated issue year after year. During the festival around 8,000 employees serve beer and food from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. in the tents, the largest of which can hold up to 10,000 people. The 179th Oktoberfest ends on Sunday, October 7.