Oktoberfest to go ahead in 2022 after pandemic break

The annual Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, will take place this year without any coronavirus restrictions after being cancelled for the past two years due to the pandemic, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter said on Friday. The Oktoberfest usually attracts around 6 million visitors to Munich a year, with many travelling from abroad.

The annual Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, will take place this year without any coronavirus restrictions after being cancelled for the past two years due to the pandemic, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter said on Friday. "There will be an unrestricted (festival), which will hopefully give a lot of people a lot of pleasure," Rieter told a news conference.

Reiter, who said he did not come to the decision lightly due to the pandemic as well as the war in Ukraine, added that there remained the possibility Oktoberfest could be cancelled if pandemic measures are reinstated. The Oktoberfest usually attracts around 6 million visitors to Munich a year, with many travelling from abroad. Revellers sit at long communal tables to swig beer, eat sausages, pretzel, or pork knuckle, and listen to oompah bands.