On Saturday, September 18th, with the tapping of the first keg by Munich Mayor Christian Ude and a cry of "O'zapft is!", Oktoberfest 2010 officially started in Munich, Germany. While this year marks the 177th Oktoberfest to be held, 2010 is the 200th anniversary of the very first Oktoberfest in 1810 (some years were missed due to war or cholera outbreaks). The Oktoberfest tradition started in 1810 to celebrate the October 12th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities which were held over five days on the fields in front of the city gates. Collected here are a few images from this opening weekend.
1. A young woman wearing a traditional Bavarian "Dirndl" smiles as she receives a mug of beer in the Hofbrauhaus tent after the opening of the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich, southern Germany, on September 18, 2010. (Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty Images)
2. Farmer assistant Mariusz Strzelecki reaps hops during the early morning hours in Ebrantshausen near Ingolstadt, southern Germany, September 20, 2010. Bavarian farmer Sebastian Hirmer reaps hops from 18 hectare fields annually. About four hectare of hops are enough for the production of beer for the entire Oktoberfest season. (REUTERS/Michaela Rehle)
3. A lion drinking beer, the logo of a brewery, and a ferris wheel silhouette over the Oktoberfest festival ground at the Theresienwiese in Munich, southern Germany, on September 16, 2010. (CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)
4. Women decorate gingerbread Oktoberfest hearts with icing in the "Zuckersucht" bakery in Aschheim near Munich September 16, 2010. Zuckersucht produces about one million gingerbread hearts for very Oktoberfest season. (REUTERS/Michaela Rehle)
5. Alphorn blowers await the beginning of the opening ceremony of the "Historical Wiesn" in Munich on Friday, Sept. 17, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
6. Bavarian riflemen march in the traditional costumes at the riflemen's procession on the occasion of the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich, Germany on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
7. Men in traditional Bavarian outfits participate in the traditional riflemen's parade of the Oktoberfest on September 19, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)
8. Musicians of a traditional Bavarian brass band are reflected in the horn of a brass instrument as they take part in the traditional Oktoberfest costume parade through the streets of Munich on September 19, 2010. (CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)
9. A tired Bavarian boy in traditional dress is pulled by two participants during the traditional costume and riflemen's procession of the Oktoberfest festival in Munich on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
10. Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer (right) applauds as Munich Mayor Christian Ude taps the first barrel of beer during the opening ceremony for the 177th Oktoberfest in Munich September 18, 2010. (REUTERS/Michael Dalder)
11. Revelers reach out for a spilling mug of beer in the Hofbrauhaus tent after the opening of the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich on September 18, 2010. (Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty Images)
12. Overall view shows visitors crowding the Hacker beer tent on the opening day of the 177th edition of the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich on September 18, 2010. (SEBASTIAN WIDMANN/AFP/Getty Images)
13. Men wearing traditional Bavarian clothes toast with beer during the opening of the 177th Oktoberfest in Munich on September 18, 2010. (REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger)
14. People wearing traditional Bavarian clothes raise a toast during the opening of the 177th Oktoberfest in Munich on September 18, 2010. (REUTERS/Michaela Rehle)
15. A young woman prepares a booth selling gingerbread hearts for the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich on September 16, 2010. (CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)
16. Visitors enjoy a tall festival ride at the Oktoberfest in Munich on September 19, 2010. (REUTERS/Michael Dalder)
17. Women wearing traditional Bavarian Dirndls scream during an amusement ride at the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich on September 18, 2010. (SEBASTIAN WIDMANN/AFP/Getty Images)
18. Visitors enjoy a spin during the second day of the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
19. Drunk visitors rest in the grass during the opening day of the Oktoberfest at Theresienwiese on September 18, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)
20. A bartender pours beer during the opening of the 177th Oktoberfest in Munich on September 18, 2010. (REUTERS/Michaela Rehle)
21. A man with a curled beard visits the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich on September 19, 2010. (ANDREAS GEBERT/AFP/Getty Images)
22. Girls celebrate and drink beer at the Hacker beer tent during the opening day of the Oktoberfest at Theresienwiese on September 18, 2010 in Munich. (Miguel Villagran/Getty Images)
23. A waitress carries a tray with Bavarian dishes through a group of visitors inside the Schottenhamel beer tent during day 2 of the Oktoberfest on September 19, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Miguel Villagran/Getty Images)
24. An overview of a crowded beer tent during the second day of the Oktoberfest on September 19, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)
25. A man and a woman pose for a picture behind a photo wall during the first day of the "Historical Wiesn" on September 17, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Miguel Villagran/Getty Images)
26. A waitress serves beer during the opening day of the 177th Oktoberfest in Munich on September 18, 2010. (REUTERS/Michaela Rehle POLITICS)
27. A visitor salutes with beer in a dark tent during the second day of the Oktoberfest in Munich on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
28. A man raises a toast with a beer mug during the second day of the Oktoberfest on September 19, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)
29. Visitors are seen on an amusement ride in front of St. Pauls church during the second day of the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
30. Visitors crowd the Theresienwiese fairground for the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich on September 19, 2010. (CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)
31. An Oktoberfest visitor shows off his might as he hits a strength-meter with a hammer during day 2 of the Oktoberfest on September 19, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Miguel Villagran/Getty Images)
32. The legs of Oktoberfest visitors dangle from a fun ride during day 2 of the Oktoberfest on September 19, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Miguel Villagran/Getty Images)
33. Visitors to the Oktoberfest beer festival ride on the "chairoplane" at the fairground at the Theresienwiese in Munich on September 19, 2010. (CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)
34. Girls wearing traditional Bavarian Dirndl dresses scream on a fairground ride at the Theresienwiese fairgrounds at the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich on September 19, 2010. (CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)
35. A little girl on her father's shoulders eats cotton candy on the Theresienwiese in Munich during Oktoberfest on September 19th, 2010. (Joerg Koch/dapd)
36. A couple rests during the second day of the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
37. Visitors wearing historical dresses drink beer and eat during the second day of the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich, southern Germany on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
38. Young women cheer with beer mugs after the official opening of the 177th edition of the Oktoberfest beer festival in a tent at the Theresienwiese in Munich on September 18, 2010. (SEBASTIAN WIDMANN/AFP/Getty Images)
39. A chairoplane spins near a ferris wheel during the opening day of the Oktoberfest at Theresienwiese on September 18, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)
40. An overview of the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich on the evening of September 18, 2010. (SEBASTIAN WIDMANN/AFP/Getty Images)