Because of Corona, the Munich Oktoberfest has had to pause for the past two years. Now rumors are circulating that the world’s largest folk festival could possibly be canceled again. However, Wiesn boss Clemens Baumgärtner gives the all-clear: “The Wiesn is taking place”.
Despite the escalation of the corona situation expected for autumn, the Munich Oktoberfest is to take place as planned. “The Wiesn takes place,” said Wiesn boss Clemens Baumgärtner from the CSU in Munich. With this clear statement, all misunderstandings should be cleared up, he said to speculation that it could still be canceled. The Oktoberfest is the largest folk festival in the world. It has been canceled for the past two years due to the corona pandemic.
The Munich infectiologist Christoph Spinner also sees no reason to forego public festivals and especially the Oktoberfest, despite the increasing corona numbers. “I don’t see why the Wiesn shouldn’t take place,” said Spinner. However, he advised a second booster before visiting a folk festival. The risk of infection is increased at the folk festival.
Wiesn boss Baumgärtner explained that there was a “difficult environment” for the folk festival with Corona, high inflation, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis. “Nevertheless, as a city, we decided to let the Wiesn take place.”
Baumgärtner said that despite the significant increase in inflation, the beer prices would not be raised afterwards. The prices published in June, at around 13 euros per liter of beer, are almost 16 percent higher than at the most recent festival in 2019.
The CSU city council also rejected allegations that the festival wasted energy. The electricity consumption of the festival, which lasts from September 17th to October 3rd, is 0.6 per mille of Munich’s annual consumption, gas consumption 0.1 per mille. Before the corona pandemic, a good six million people came to the Oktoberfest every year. Each visitor spends over 70 euros on average. With taxi rides or overnight stays, the Oktoberfest is a billion dollar business.
