Men urinate in this photo taken decades ago at an Oktoberfest celebration in Germany. Oktoberfest is the world's largest beer festival. Nearly 6 million attended last year's event. This year's started on September 17 and ends on October 3.
Jonathan Kirn/Corbis/Getty Images
Every year, massive tents are built for Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. The first festival was in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria. Food and drink booths started appearing in 1818.
Owen Franken/Corbis/Getty Images
A man drinks a stein of beer at an Oktoberfest event in Monterey, California, in 1958. Many other countries put on their own Oktoberfest celebrations in honor of the main event in Germany.
Dennis Rowe/Getty Images
Plenty of beer kegs are needed for the two-week celebration in Munich.
Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images
Men lift their steins at a traditional beer hall.
RENÉ BURRI/MAGNUM PHOTOS
Oktoberfest celebrations also include parades, with many people wearing traditional folk costumes.
Gideon Mendel/Corbis/Getty Images
Massive pretzels obscure a food vendor's face in Munich.
Owen Franken/Corbis/Getty Images
Visitors eat a meal during Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich in 1935.
Hanns Hubmann/ullstein bild/Getty Images
A waitress carries several glasses of beer in 1979. Munich prides itself on its quality of beer, unashamedly calling it the best in the world. It cites Bavarian Purity Requirements that allow only water, hops and barley to be used in the brewing process.
Istvan Bajzat/dpa/AP
According to the Oktoberfest website, the festival starts in September to allow for warmer weather conditions.
Owen Franken/Corbis/Getty Images
U.S. first lady Betty Ford holds a beer mug she received at an Oktoberfest event in Milwaukee in 1976.
AP
A woman hugs two people at Oktoberfest in 1961.
HENRI CARTIER BRESSON/MAGNUM PHOTOS
The downside to overdrinking.
Gideon Mendel/Corbis/Getty Images
A hangover perhaps? A man lowers his head during Oktoberfest circa 1950.
