Sunny Oktoberfest countdown – “I’m glad it’s starting”

Everything has been done to ensure safety, the sun is shining – and the beer will not run out. Munich is ready for the Oktoberfest. City leaders, festival management, innkeepers, showmen and police are looking forward to the festival with a relaxed attitude. “The Oktoberfest is as safe as it can possibly be,” said Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) during the traditional tour of the Oktoberfest grounds two days before the start. “We do what we can.”

Reiter will tap the first keg of beer at 12 noon on Saturday and open the Oktoberfest with the cry “Ozapft is”. “I’m happy that it’s starting now,” said the mayor. “My wish would be that people have had fun every time they visit the Oktoberfest, that they return home healthy and happy” – and that they have no after-effects the next day, apart from maybe a slight headache.

The Oktoberfest is considered the largest folk festival in the world, and six million guests from all over the world are expected to attend the 16 days of the festival until October 6. According to the German Weather Service, the weekend will at least be sunny and mild. Good weather is a key factor in the success of the festival.

Reiter pointed out that the festival’s economic value of 1.5 million euros is high for many industries, from the hotel industry to retail and taxi companies. The city itself, as the organizer, makes no profit. “We don’t earn anything here. We’re happy if we break even.”

As a consequence of the presumably Islamist-motivated attacks in Solingen and Munich, controls at the entrances are being intensified. There will be pat-downs and checks with metal detectors to detect dangerous objects such as knives. “This means that it may take a few minutes longer,” Reiter said, asking for the guests’ understanding.

“The Oktoberfest is the safest festival,” said festival director and economic advisor Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU). Around 600 police officers will be on duty, as well as thousands of stewards, some of whom are employed by the city and some by the innkeepers.

Further expansion: the fountains with constant drinking water on site. There are ten of them this year. Beer is once again becoming more expensive. The unit costs between 13.60 and 15.30 euros. Table water costs an average of over ten euros per liter.

Smoking weed: Not allowed. The government coalition of the CSU and the Free Voters has banned smoking weed at folk festivals and in beer gardens in Bavaria by state law.

There is a new tent at the traditional Oidn Wiesn. The “Boandlkramerei” musicians’ tent replaces the Herzkasperl tent that was presented in the same place in previous years. This was the subject of weeks of dispute, including in court.

A new ride is “Jim & Jasper’s Wild Water”, the largest transportable water ride in Europe according to the organizers, which pumps through at least 80,000 liters of water – more than the amount of beer that flows from the taps in the tents during that time. Normally there is more beer than water at the Oktoberfest, said Baumgärtner – here it is the other way round.

A 12D cinema with a “live” feeling premiered at the Oktoberfest. When the mayor asked what the twelve dimensions were, the operator replied: The business was sold to him with the information that there were three dimensions – and then there were nine effects such as wind, rain and snow.

Also making its debut: The Grand Carousel, the Hupferl from 1987, where passengers have to hold on using their own strength, and the Holzpfosten Scooter, a classic bumper car like in the 1960s and 1970s. At Laser Pix, visitors immerse themselves in a video game.

Regarding the fatal accident on Monday at the Olympia Looping roller coaster, Baumgärtner said the case was very tragic and gave cause for pause. However, it had nothing to do with the safety of the rides for guests.

Festival director Baumgärtner welcomed the innkeepers’ initiative to offer more organic products. However, there should be no bans or regulations. Guests should decide for themselves what they want.

This year, the Wiesn hosts want to work with organic farmers to find out how and where organic products can be used sensibly and whether there are enough quantities. In the next few years, more organic food will be served in the tents.

For the first time, the Oktoberfest will also be virtual: The Munich inclusion initiative vr4kids offers a virtual visit to the Oktoberfest. The children Felix and Leah take their guests with them, such as disabled or sick children; Leah tells the story in sign language. At the start of the festival, a virtual reality game from the K5 Factory studio will also be launched, in which visitors visit the festival as avatars with VR glasses.