The 191st Oktoberfest officially kicked off in the Bavarian capital on Saturday. As per longstanding tradition, the festival began with the ceremony of tapping the first keg of beer. For the first time, this symbolic mission was carried out by the new Lord Mayor of Munich, Dominik Krause, representing the Green Party. He tapped the keg with two strikes of a hammer and then handed the first mug of beer to the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder. Thanks to warm and sunny weather, thousands of visitors gathered on the Theresienwiese, where the festival takes place, on the very first day. Oktoberfest will last until October 4, and the organizers expect to welcome more than six million guests. For Munich's economy, this is one of the main events of the year, attracting tourists from all over the world annually. This year, special attention is being paid to safety. The police have announced enhanced control measures in advance, including protection against potential drone attacks. For the first time, AI-supported cameras are being used at the festival. They analyze the density of the crowd and allow for the rapid detection of dangerous gatherings of visitors. If necessary, the organizers will be able to temporarily restrict access to the most crowded areas. The use of such technologies reflects a general trend: mass events in Europe are increasingly combining traditional security measures with digital monitoring systems to respond more quickly to potential risks. Oktoberfest remains Germany's largest folk festival and one of the most visited mass events in the world.
