This September, the traditional cry of “O’zapft is!” (it’s tapped) will echo from Munich again as the world-famous Oktoberfest resumes after a two-year cancellation.
Munich announced the hugely popular celebration of beer, food, and fancy dress will take place between September 17 and October 3, 2022, Germany’s national day, after the rollicking annual festival was shut down for two years by the pandemic.
Announcing the news, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter stated that the festival will return “without conditions and restrictions”—meaning there will be no face masks or vaccine passes required for entry, and no social distancing inside the tents.
The festival, which has attracted over seven million visitors in recent years, originated in 1880 for the wedding of Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. Two years later, beer tents were introduced, establishing Oktoberfest as Germany’s largest tourist attraction.
Oktoberfest is usually a reliable event and has only been cancelled a few times in its history. Its first shutdown occurred due to the Napoleonic Wars, shortly after its inception. Subsequent cancellations took place in 1854 during a cholera epidemic, in 1886 because of the Austria-Prussian War, and during both World Wars when the festival was halted for several consecutive years.
The decision to resume the festival this year was approached cautiously, given the ongoing global health concerns and geopolitical tensions. Mayor Reiter mentioned that it was important to let individuals decide how they wish to celebrate amid these circumstances.
“I’m looking forward to Oktoberfest 2022 that I hope everyone who wants to go will enjoy,” he added.
Germany’s Entry Rules
Restrictions have eased in Germany recently, and it is likely that by the time Oktoberfest takes place, they will have been relaxed even further.
As it stands, officials require arrivals from EU or Schengen Zone countries to present their EU Digital Certificate, which proves vaccination, recovery, or a negative test. Travelers from non-EU countries must be fully vaccinated to enter Germany.
