Oktoberfest

Since I moved to Munich in 2011 I haven’t missed the largest folk festival in the world — Oktoberfest. Two events in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the pandemic. So today was my 15th time there. And this one has seen the highest attendance in history, there have been more than 7.4 million guests.

But I personally am no longer excited about it.

The beer price has doubled, the beer itself hasn’t changed. And as I no longer drink alcohol at all, it makes it even worse being there in a tent with thousands of drunk people. And the preliminary statistics report shows that the beer consumption continues to grow. The good thing is that, according to the official report, the non-alcoholic beer share grows year over year.

The food there has never been great anyway, and its price has doubled as well.

I remember fun times going for a ride on the Olympia roller coaster, but this isn’t that thrilling anymore. Probably, I’ve been to such attractions too many times before.

And for the sake of tradition, it would be great that the festival would be smaller and more folk, rather than being permanently overcrowded.

I respect the Oktoberfest’s contribution to Munich’s budget, but I’m very likely skip it next year.

(All photos are made in 2011 for my Instagram)

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