Seven million litres of beer and almost 100,000 mugs stolen: results of the Munich Oktoberfest
At this year’s Oktoberfest, which took place in Munich from September 21 to October 6, more than 7 million liters of beer were poured, and 98 thousand attempts to steal beer mugs were recorded. About this informs German tabloid BILD.
According to the organizers, about 6.7 million guests visited the holiday, which is slightly less than last year, when the number of visitors reached 7.2 million. However, last year the festival lasted two days longer. Despite the smaller number of visitors, more beer was drunk this year. Although the price of a liter mug reached 15 euros, the total volume of sales exceeded 7 million liters, which is 500 thousand more than in 2023. In addition, delis recorded a 9% increase in food sales, with fried chicken still the most popular dish.
The organizers noted that this year the festival was held peacefully and safely. The police reported a 25% reduction in crime, which was made possible by the active presence of law enforcement officers and the installation of video surveillance. Sanitation services also noted a decrease in the number of cases requiring medical attention.
The number of attempts to steal mugs also decreased – this year, guards confiscated only 98,000 mugs, which is 17,000 less than in 2023, when more than 115,000 such cases were recorded.
Oktoberfest-2024 gathered guests not only from Germany, but also from abroad. The largest number of visitors came from the USA, Italy, Great Britain, Austria, Poland, France, Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands, and for the first time in significant numbers – from India.
The celebration will end with the sale of the last pint of beer on the night of October 7, after which Oktoberfest 2024 will be officially closed.
Interestingly, in the summer of 2024, the first non-alcoholic beer garden called “Die Null” opened in Munich. This project was aimed at improving the image of one of the disadvantaged areas of the city near the main train station. The garden was open until September 15 and became part of a new wave of interest in soft drinks.
