Oktoberfest's Price of Progress The gates have swung open at Munich's iconic Oktoberfest grounds, and the masses are streaming in for 16 days of revelry.
This year's crowd is no exception, with some visitors camping out overnight to secure prime spots in the festival's legendary beer tents.
Amidst all the traditional Bavarian pomp and circumstance, a more nuanced story is unfolding: one of rising costs and shifting economic realities.