Minister President of Bavaria: This year’s Oktoberfest ‘unlikely’

Markus Soeder, Minister President of of the southern German Free State of Bavaria , said today that due to Covid-19 pandemic, it is ‘unlikely’ that annual Oktoberfest will take place this year.

The annual Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival, where revelers sit together at long communal tables, attracts around six million visitors to Munich every year, with many traveling from abroad.

Soeder told reporters he was very skeptical whether this year’s festival – scheduled from September 19 to October 4 – could take place. He will make a final decision with Mayor Dieter Reiter in the next two weeks.

The German government and regional state governors agreed on Wednesday to start relaxing some of the lockdown rules introduced last month to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Big events will remain banned until August 31.