Munich celebrates mini Oktoberfest amid pandemic

MUNICH: Innkeepers in Munich tapped their barrels on Saturday for revellers determined to make the most of a scaled-down Oktoberfest after the world’s biggest beer festival was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The specially brewed beer started flowing at midday at 54 pubs with locals in traditional lederhosen and dirndls sitting at spread out tables and, where possible, outside. “It is a great alternative because at last we can celebrate the Oktoberfest a bit. It’s not the same as usual, but still,” said Christine Bachmeier at the famous Hofbraeuhaus.

However, it is a far cry from the six million visitors from all over the world who usually flock to the Bavarian capital to squeeze into tents with long wooden tables and benches to swig beer and sing and sway to catchy oompah band tunes.

Each

year,

the

partygoers consume more than seven million litres of beer, more than 100 oxen and half a million chickens.

The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 in honour of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig’s marriage and now it brings Munich some €1.2 billion euros in annual revenues, though not this year.

Still, in the pubs and sundrenched gardens hosting the miniOktoberfest, guests put on a brave face.

“It’s the best we can do in corona times,” said visitor Harald Posler.

A spike in infections in Munich has increased worries about the coronavirus.

Although Germany has kept the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths lower than many of its European neighbours, the number of infections rose on Saturday by 2,297, the highest daily increase since the end of April, the Robert Koch Institute said. – Reuters