O’zapft is! Oktoberfest 2012 in Munich has Started

It is tapped. The world’s biggest party has begun.

At noon in the Schottenhamel tent, which was twenty minutes ago according to my complex time zone analysis, the mayor of Munich, Christian Ude, swung a wooden mallet to tap the first keg at Oktoberfest 2012. He shouted, O’zapft is! A 12 gun salute followed to let all of the other tents know that they should begin serving the beer. The first mass, a Spatenbrau, went to Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer. This ceremony has happened at the start of Oktoberfest in the Schottenhamel Festzelt since 1950, when Munich Mayor Thomas Wimmer tapped the keg.

Before the keg was tapped today, a parade of horse-drawn carriages, floats and Oktoberfest bands made its way to Theresienwise for the start of Oktoberfest. If you missed the events, and would like to be there in spirit for the rest of the festivities, download the handy iPhone Oktoberfest app to see photos from the live webcams and learn which tents are full. Also checkout what’s new at the 179th Oktoberfest.

It’s definitely an action packed day. The autumnal equinox happens today at 10:49 AM EST. Not long after, at 11:30 AM EST, the largest Oktoberfest in the United States will tap its keg at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. And then there’s the world’s largest chicken dance a few hours later. So enjoy the first official day of Fall!