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Oktoberfest: 1m litres of beer vanish in two days

DPA/The Local
DPA/The Local - [email protected]
Oktoberfest: 1m litres of beer vanish in two days
Photo: DPA

Revellers at Munich Oktoberfest are believed to have polished off around one million litres of beer in the festival's opening weekend. The Local looks at some of the other facts and figures down on the frontlines of the Wiesn.

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One million people

People throng the Oktoberfest grounds as night falls in Munich. Photo: DPA

Despite some showers on Saturday night, around one million people – the first of up to six million expected between Saturday and October 4th - are believed to have visited the Oktoberfest grounds at Munich's centrally-located Theresienwiese.

Beer over €10

That's a pricey double handful. Photo: DPA

The entrances to the big beer tents were crowded with queues and some were temporarily closed to new customers, all eager to purchase litre mugs (Maß) of beer at over €10 apiece.

9,000 marchers

Men dressed in traditional costumes take part in the Oktoberfest opening weekend parade. Photo: DPA

The opening Sunday parade was led by 9,000 people wearing traditional dress and marksmen from European neighbour countries, including Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Serbia and Poland.

Two blows

Munich mayor Dieter Reiter taps the first keg at Oktoberfest 2015. Photo: DPA

Governing mayor Dieter Reiter demonstrated his prowess at the "Anzapfen" (keg tapping) ceremony that opens Oktoberfest by taking just two strikes with the hammer to get the job done.

80 minutes

It took barely more than an hour before medics were called in to care for the first case of alcohol poisoning, with a 50-year-old man this year's holder of the inglorious record – and beating last year's two hours, five minutes by some distance.

500 people

Red Cross workers rush through the Wiesn during Oktoberfest. File photo: DPA

Red Cross medics treated around 500 people on the first day, while several people were brought to hospital after falls from platforms and windows and one knife attack.

10 million people

Munich Tatort stars Udo Wachtveitl (l) und Miroslav Nemec pose for the cameras. Photo: DPA

Those who couldn't be in Munich for the big weekend didn't have to suffer in silence – Sunday evening's "Tatort", Germany's favourite police drama, drew in 10.6 million viewers with its Oktoberfest theme as two cops hunted drug dealers through the Wiesn.

SEE ALSO: Gay Oktoberfest brings pride to Munich

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