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The 190th Oktoberfest has officially begun in Munich, Germany, with record-suspicious temperatures of 31 degrees recorded at the measuring point Theresienwiese. Thousands of guests, including Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU), gathered to celebrate the traditional Bavarian festival.
As tradition, Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) tapped the first keg of beer, marking the official start of the 16-day event. However, the tapping was challenging due to the high temperatures. Reiter expressed relief that the tapping went well despite the difficulties, and Söder showed understanding for the challenges posed by the round hammer's trickiness.
Tragically, a 70-year-old woman died before the opening of the Oktoberfest, in the area of the showman's caravans. The authorities have tightened the security concept for the Wiesn this year, extending the knife ban from the festival grounds to the surrounding area.
Despite the heat, the Aicher Ambulance treated more than 280 cases due to heat-related issues by the afternoon, with the youngest patient being 11 years old. An 18-year-old man from Arizona was also brought to the medical station later in the afternoon due to too much alcohol consumption.
The first tents were closed due to overcrowding in the early afternoon, and many guests waited since the early morning hours to secure a table in a beer tent. To combat the heat, many Wiesn guests used umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun.
In a surprising twist, Jürgen Drews, a Schlager star, skipped the classic beer at the opening and is an "anti-alcoholic." Florian Silbereisen offered Drews alcohol-free beer instead. Beni Hafner, alias Oimara, hopes his song "Wackelkontakt" will become the Wiesn hit of 2025.
Reiter, who had surgery on his shoulder in May, managed the tapping with apparent ease. The Oktoberfest will last until October 5th, with the Minister-President of Bavaria, Dr. Markus Söder, set to tap the first liter of beer at the opening of the 2025 Oktoberfest. The event will take place at the Schottenhamel Festhalle in Munich on September 20, 2025, while the first keg will be tapped simultaneously by State Minister Dr. Florian Herrmann at the Hofbräu tent.
Despite the challenges posed by the heat and security concerns, the spirit of the Oktoberfest remains alive and well in Munich.
