A beer tent at Oktoberfest in Theresienwiese, Munich, Germany

© Peter Kneffel/picture alliance via Getty Image

Prost to you and yours!. Oktoberfest begins

Welcome to Oktoberfest, the world's biggest beer festival, held each year in the German city of Munich. Dating back all the way to 1810, it began with the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig, later Ludwig I of Bavaria, and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The celebrations took place on the fields in front of the city gates, which were named Theresienwiese, or Theresa's Meadow, in honor of the bride. The festivities lasted for five days, filled with exciting activities such as parades and horse races. It was so popular that Oktoberfest became an annual event that now draws more than 6 million people. This year's festival starts today and lasts 18 days. Beyond Munich, it has become a popular celebration in multiple countries, and cities inside and outside of Germany imitate the festival and cherish its German traditions.