Prime Minister, Economics Minister, festival manager and even the deputy mayor: they all speak out in favor of the octopus this year. The city has now determined when the decision will be announced.
Will there be Ozapft again this year? Will the Oktoberfest take place after a two-year Corona break? How does Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) decide? After all, it is now clear when he wants to comment on this – on Friday afternoon, as the town hall reports. Information and dates for the Oktoberfest, which is scheduled to begin on September 17, can already be found on the city’s website. The innkeepers have been receiving reservation requests for a long time.
And the round of supporters is growing by the day. Even Reiter’s deputy, second mayor Katrin Habenschaden (Greens), is in favor of the world’s largest folk festival on the Theresienwiese this year: “The Oktoberfest not only has great economic value for our city, the Wiesn is above all for the Munich attitude to life important for the Munich soul. That’s why I’m in favor of the Wiesn taking place this year.” Such a decision is a risk, because nobody knows whether a new, more dangerous virus variant will be rampant in the fall. “But we’ve practiced hasty cancellations long enough.”
After Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (free voters) also appealed to the state capital to “finally put the green tick behind it and commit to the Oktoberfest, the most important Bavarian folk festival”. The Oktoberfest has a “leading function” for all of Bavaria. Also in the area one wants to celebrate again “with a good conscience”.
Last week, Wiesn boss and Munich economics officer Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU) was the first to express his confidence that this year it would be possible to celebrate again. He may even expect more guests than in 2019 – maybe even a record Oktoberfest. The longing for a carefree folk festival is evident at the spring festival, which saw a rush of visitors at the start last weekend.