It's the 'it' event in every beer drinker's calendar, with 1 million gallons of beer drunk at it annually.

Oktoberfest started today in 1810 as a celebratory event following the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Louis and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

The married couple invited the populace of Munich to celebrate on the Theresienwiese (or the bride, Therese's, fields). The main attraction in the beginning were horse races.

Today, the annual festival lasts a whole month, with the drinking of locally produced beers a major part of it.

The festival traditionally begins towards the end of September, and ends on the last Sunday in October...