The Oktoberfest in Munich concluded with an overall positive outcome, according to the festival organizers, reporting 6.5 million liters of beer consumed, 764 tons of waste, and 4,500 lost-and-found items. Over the 16-day festival, approximately 6.5 million guests visited the Theresienwiese, slightly fewer than last year’s 6.7 million, largely due to a Wednesday closure of the grounds.
On Wednesday, a 57-year-old man, involved in an escalated family dispute, caused the temporary shutdown of parts of the city, including the Oktoberfest, for several hours. The suspect committed suicide and allegedly killed his 90-year-old father while injuring his mother and daughter. Following a written bomb threat against the Oktoberfest from the suspect, the festival grounds remained closed for more than seven hours.
“The attraction of the Wiesn remains undiminished despite the rapid ups and downs,” stated the city on Sunday. Festival organizers, stall owners, vendors, and innkeepers expressed satisfaction with the event’s overall outcome.
According to Wiesn chief Christian Scharpf, the public holiday on 3 October was “the busiest day,” despite a one-hour closure due to overcrowding concerns. On a typical weekday, between 200,000 and 250,000 visitors attended. About 21 percent of visitors came from abroad, mostly from the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Austria, Poland, Spain, France, India, and Sweden.
Large festival tents reported a food sales increase of up to six percent, excluding chicken dishes, while smaller tents saw up to a four percent rise. Approximately 6.5 million liters of beer were served, down slightly from seven million last year. Security personnel prevented 116,000 cases of beer stein theft.
By Sunday, an estimated 4,500 lost-and-found items had been registered, a rise of 400 items or ten percent compared with last year. Lost items included 1,100 clothing articles, 800 wallets, 600 IDs, 400 smartphones, 370 keys, 280 glasses or sunglasses, 150 bags, backpacks, and pouches, and 40 hats and watches. About 900 items were returned to their owners during the festival.
The Munich Waste Management Department reported the disposal of 764 tons of waste by Friday, 12.4 percent less than the same period last year. Police described the incident rate at the Wiesn as normal and comparable to the previous year. Emergency services reported a 28 percent increase in calls compared to last year’s Oktoberfest, largely due to the first hot weekend.
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