The Wiesn mid-term balance: mulled wine at the Oktoberfest - and the first week in numbers
Created: 09/25/2022, 20:11
By: Felix Herz
Halftime at the 187th Oktoberfest in Munich – how is the balance in the comeback year?
© STL / IMAGO
The second Wiesn weekend is coming to an end - and that means halftime for the 187th Oktoberfest.
From lousy weather to a younger audience: a first conclusion.
Munich – Sunday evening, September 25 – the second Wiesn weekend is almost over.
Since the tapping on Saturday a week ago (September 17th), after a two-year Corona break, it was said again on the Theresienwiese in Munich: "O'zapft is!" Before the start of the Oktoberfest, a few spoilsports were expected: Corona worries , the significantly more expensive prices - but in the end it is mainly the weather that makes this year's Wiesn fall through the roof.
Bad Wiesn weather: Oktoberfest falls through
The previous eight Oktoberfest days were mostly rainy and cold.
Only on Thursday (September 22nd) and Friday (September 23rd) did the sun manage to break through the dense cloud cover and shine for several hours at a time.
The bad weather is also the reason for this year's visitor numbers, says festival director Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU).
Around three million guests have visited the Festwiese so far - around 300,000 fewer people than in the year 2019.
And the weather forecast for the coming week is no better.
Therefore, according to Baumgärtner, the decision has now been made to allow ice cream stands to serve mulled wine from Sunday (September 25th).
They suffer particularly from the bad weather and the mulled wine allows visitors to warm up inside even outside the tent.
Thanks to the scent of mulled wine in the air, there is now a contemplative Christmas spirit at the Oktoberfest.
Wild party at the Oktoberfest 2022: strange pictures from the day of the ceremony
View photo gallery
Oktoberfest mid-term balance: police present numbers – Corona doesn’t matter
Meanwhile, the police have reported 923 operations so far - in 2019 there were 1010 at the same time. The officials are happy: "The general mood among the numerous Wiesn visitors was mostly very positive and peaceful," says the official report.
However, there was more resistance to police officers, more pickpocketing and a little more sex crimes – but no rape among them.
There were 120 reports of bodily harm, 17 of which used a beer mug as a weapon.
Corona doesn't seem to play a big role at the Oktoberfest.
The audience, which is on average slightly younger than in previous years, celebrates tightly together in the tent.
Masks remain the absolute exception.
Even on the streets, when it's not raining, visitors crowd through the crowded alleys.
According to the festival management, there are no staff shortages either with the landlords or with the showmen due to corona-related failures.
Doctors and politicians expect a corona wave after the Wiesn.
Oktoberfest 2022: Oktoberfest hit, celebrity show and other numbers
More and more "Layla" is emerging as an Oktoberfest hit, which is controversial because of accusations of sexism.
The Oktoberfest landlords didn't actually want to play the song.
Unsurprisingly, the discussions gave the song a boost.
And as in every Wiesn year, numerous celebrities will be there in 2022.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's appearance, for example, was very well received.
also read
Wiesn-Zoff around the marquee continues to smolder: visitors complain about "unspeakable handling"
Criminal proceedings against Wiesn landlord, waitress beside herself: All information about the big Bräurosl earthquake
Oktoberfest celebrity photos 2022: Gottschalk, Mörtel Lugner, Hummels and lots of politicians
View photo gallery
This year's decline in visitors is also reflected in other figures: According to the innkeepers, beer consumption was around 15 percent lower than in 2019, and the medical station was able to welcome 30 percent fewer patients.
Half of the approximately 2,600 treatments were alcohol-related - so some things remain the same.
(fhz)
"We deliver all important topics, information and news about the Wiesn in our subject area: Everything about Munich.
Simply register directly in Telegram or Facebook, select a topic and don't miss anything more about Oktoberfest 2022!"