The first Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810, when the Bavarian royalty invited the citizens of Munich to join the celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It went on to become a 16-day festival running from late September to the first weekend in October with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year. Only beer conforming to the Reinheitsgebot, and brewed within the city limits of Munich, can be served at the Munich Oktoberfest. Beers meeting these criteria are designated Oktoberfest Beer.
A boy takes a ride on a rodeo machine during the Festa Junina in Guarulhos, a suburb of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on June 3, 2012. The traditional annual feast of Festa Junina (June Festival) is celebrated nationwide with music, dances, and food in honour of month's three Catholic saints' days -- Saint Anthony, Saint John the Baptist, and Saint Peter. AFP PHOTO/Yasuyoshi CHIBA
Dancers from the Canadian company Ballet Jazz de Montreal perform during the 6th edition of the International Ballet Festival in Cali, Valle del Cauca department, Colombia, on June 4, 2012.AFP PHOTO/Luis ROBAYO
A Sri Lankan Buddhist prays during Poya, a full moon religious festival, at the Buddhist Temple in Colombo on March 7, 2012. The predominantly Buddhist Island nation marks every full moon as a key religious holiday. AFP PHOTO/ LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI
A couple particiates in the 2012 Zombie Fest in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 3, 2012. AFP PHOTO/Julio Cesar AGUILAR
Participants of Prague's World Roma Festival Khamoro 2012 perform on May 31 2012, in Prague. Roma artists from across world participate in the festival, which features concerts, exhibitions and seminars. AFP PHOTO / MICHAL CIZEK
Racegoers queue for drinks during Ladies Day, the first day of the Epsom Derby horse racing event, at Epsom in Surrey, southern England on June 1, 2012. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT
A devotee takes a dip in the Yamuna river in New Delhi on May 31, 2012, after presenting offerings to the Sun and River to mark the begining of his day long fast during the Nirjala Ekadashi celebration.AFP PHOTO/Roberto SCHMIDT
