Because of the corona pandemic, the Wiesn has been canceled twice. In September there should be the big comeback. Preparations are underway, Bavaria's Prime Minister Söder is optimistic. And the Oktoberfest landlords are full of anticipation, but want to do without gas-powered radiant heaters.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder is assuming that the Oktoberfest will be held despite the war in Ukraine, including the energy crisis and the increasing number of corona infections. "What's safe in this world. But I think it will take place, the Wiesn," said the CSU boss in an interview with "München.TV". Only the city of Munich can pull the ripcord - the Free State will not ban the festival, he said.
From September 17th, the largest folk festival in the world is to be celebrated again on the Theresienwiese in Munich. In the past two years it had been canceled due to the Corona crisis.
The decision that the Oktoberfest should take place in 2022 was announced by Mayor Dieter Reiter at the end of April. Recently, however, the SPD politician also told Bayerischer Rundfunk in view of the increasing corona numbers that he hoped that the topic “does not have to be discussed in the short term”.
Two months before the Oktoberfest, however, the Oktoberfest landlords were confident. "Yes, the Wiesn 2022 will take place!" Said host spokesman Peter Inselkammer on Monday evening in Munich at the presentation of the traditional host mug. "The guests all want to come. The reservation requests are enormous."
The beer has been brewed, most of the staff has been recruited, and the tents are being erected. "We want the festival to take place," said the second spokesman for the host, Christian Schottenhamel.
The innkeepers do not assume that the impending gas crisis could be fatal to the festival. "I can't imagine the gas being turned off for eating and drinking," says Schottenhamel. This year, however, the innkeepers will forego gas-powered radiant heaters. Schottenhamel emphasized that there is already a lot of attention being paid to climate friendliness in other ways, for example with hot water obtained from solar thermal energy.
