KEY POINTS:
More than six million people are estimated to have flocked to this year's Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, which ended yesterday.
A "must do" on many Antipodeans' OEs, the annual beer festival attracts revellers from around the world, who gather to eat, drink and navigate Munich's public transport system while under the influence.
Six breweries are charged with supplying the beer for the event, which visitors down by the litre (or "Mass" in German). At last year's festival 6.1 million mass were consumed.
However Oktoberfest's origins are nothing to do with beer.
The festivities were first held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.
The wedding party lasted from October 12 - 17 and was enjoyed so much by the locals that they decided to do it all again the following year.
After the festival became a tradition, its start date was moved forward into September to take advantage of that month's warmer weather.
In keeping with tradition however, the final weekend is always in October.
One massive party
* Oktoberfest is opened each year by the mayor of Munich, who taps the first keg of beer.
* In addition to 14 huge beer tents (Bierzelt), Oktoberfest has hundreds of traditional food stalls and carnival rides.
* The Bierzelt open early each day but stop serving alcohol by 10.30pm each night to give organisers a chance to clean up in preparation for the following day.
* Oktoberfest waiters and waitresses in traditional Bavarian Lederhosen and Dirndl take orders from revellers in the Bierzelt and return carrying as many mass as they can manage.
Too much of a good thing
Every year a number of Oktoberfest patrons make the news due to their drunken antics.
This year a German man who had been drinking heavily had to be rescued from a chimney after he got stuck while trying to climb into a friend's apartment.
The 27-year-old slid head-first into what he thought was a gap between two buildings after climbing onto the roof of a neighbouring building at about 2am.
His cries for help were eventually heard by a janitor twelve hours later and he was taken by helicopter to a hospital and treated for hypothermia.
Oktoberfest facts
* There is seating available for 100,000 people.
* 12,000 people are employed at the Oktoberfest. Of these, 1600 are waitresses.
* A mass at this year's Oktoberfest cost between 7.30 and 7.90 euros.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
