KITCHENER — The keg has been tapped and the 49th annual Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest has officially begun.

The nine-day festival kicked off on Friday on King Street in front of Kitchener City Hall with dancing, yodelling, live music, and words from various dignitaries including festival president Margo Jones.

"If you haven't made plans over the Thanksgiving weekend, come and be German for a week and join us as we celebrate Oktoberfest," Jones said to a cheering crowd in dirndls and lederhosen.

Jones was joined on stage by Premier Kathleen Wynne to fulfil the traditional keg tapping.

With one swing of the wooden mallet, a shower of beer was released and steins were filled.

"The keg tapping was perfect," said Jones. "We got a great spray."

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic also took the stage to issue an official proclamation and acknowledge the more than 500 volunteers and 1,300 community and service club members it takes to organize the entire festival.

"Every year we see more people getting into the Oktoberfest spirit and more events being organized," he said. "There's something for everyone, young and old."

While the majority of the opening ceremonies drew celebratory cheers from the crowd, Wynne's initial introduction to the stage drew some booing. The premier kept her address short, asking everyone to remember the less fortunate at this time of year and also wishing the crowd a safe and happy Thanksgiving and Oktoberfest.

Wynne also attended the keg tapping last year alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — an opening ceremony that was particularly memorable for some annual attendants, including Kitchener resident Hollie Smith

"Last year with Justin Trudeau — I had never seen it so packed," she said. "There was not even wiggle room."

Smith was at the festival on Friday with her two-year-old daughter Aria and her husband Trevor Smith.

"We're third-generation German," she said, emphasizing the importance of the festivities to her family. "It's just a sense of community coming to these events; you feel great."

Others celebrating on Friday shared the same sentiment, including Barbel DiGregorio, who was visiting from California.

DiGregorio, who was born in Germany, moved to Kitchener with her family when she was a young girl. In 1962, she left the city and moved to California, but she still comes back to Kitchener often to visit her sister and to celebrate Oktoberfest.

"Why do I come?" she said. "Well, it's not for the beer, sorry, but (it's for) the music, the dance and the memories."

As the official ceremonies wrapped up on Friday afternoon, the street began to fill with the smell of beer from the freshly tapped keg and sausages cooking away on grills lining King Street.

This year's K-W Oktoberfest will run from Oct. 6 to 14.

On Monday, the Thanksgiving Day parade will start at 8:30 a.m. at Frederick and Weber streets, and continue along Weber to Bridgeport Road.

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Laura Booth @Laura__Booth