It’s tapped: The Munich Oktoberfest has begun. Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) tapped the first barrel of beer with two taps on Saturday at exactly 12:00 noon in the Schottenhamel tent, thus opening the festival. Gunfire announced the start of the festival – and the beer being served. Reiter traditionally handed the first freshly tapped liter of beer to Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) to toast with him to a peaceful Oktoberfest.
Weather: Sunny and dry
With autumnal mild temperatures and sunshine, the Wiesn hosts drove to the festival grounds in festively decorated carriages. The forecasts for the first Wiesn weekend look good – at least on Sunday it will stay around 20 degrees. After that it will get cooler again – and rain too.
The first Oktoberfest fans – mostly in dirndls and lederhosen – had already been waiting at the entrances for the festival grounds to open early in the morning. When the gates opened at around 9 a.m., hundreds of people rushed towards the festival tents to get a good spot.
Around six million visitors are expected to attend the Oktoberfest, which is considered the largest folk festival in the world, by October 6. Last year, 7.2 million guests came to the festival, which was extended to 18 days – according to the count by the city of Munich, the organizer, this is the highest number since statistics began in 1980.
Increased security measures
The Oktoberfest started under tightened security measures. As a consequence of the presumably Islamist-motivated attacks in Solingen and Munich, controls at the entrances will be intensified for the festival days, including the use of hand-held metal detectors for the first time. Around 600 police officers will be on duty over the 16 days of the festival. There will also be thousands of stewards. 1,200 to 1,500 are deployed by the city alone.
Checks at the entrances and a high police presence have long been part of the sophisticated security concept, as has a ban on large bags, knives and glass bottles. There are also bans on drones flying over the site. Video cameras help to monitor the site.
Beer more expensive, drinking water free
Beer is once again becoming more expensive. A liter of beer costs between 13.60 and 15.30 euros. Table water costs an average of over ten euros per liter. Since last year, drinking water has been available free of charge at fountains on the festival grounds. The traditional Oide Wiesn takes place in the southern part of the Theresienwiese with brass music, folk dancing and historical rides.
Tragic accident
The construction of the festival was overshadowed by a fatal accident at work. A 20-year-old worker was hit by a train during a test ride on the famous Olympia Looping roller coaster and died in hospital. The coaster was supposed to open on Saturday after the TÜV approval.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240921-930-239066/2
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