Wiesn bliss: late summer weather and happy Wiesn guests
The almost continuously summery weather ensured very good-humored guests and a relaxed 188th Wiesn in the first week. Around 900,000 guests were counted on the first weekend.
The good weather ensured a balanced distribution of visitors in the tents, gardens and streets during the first week. Since the beer tents were mostly open, it was possible to stroll lively, from the fairground rides to the snack bar, from the shooting range to the festival tent and back again. The audience is a colorful mix, young people who are wild about fast-paced rides, families with smaller children who tend to stick to the more contemplative rides and also again very many seniors, who last year were still reluctant to visit the Wiesn.
Wiesn-Halbzeit: Alle Zahlen auf einen Blick
- Gäste: 3,4 Millionen (400.000 mehr als zum Vorjahreszeitpunkt)
- Bier: Im Vergleich zum Vorjahr wurden 6 Prozent mehr Bier verkauft gestiegen
- Wiesn-Fundbüro: Bis Sonntag 1.200 Fundsachen (2022: 1.045)
- Krug-Klau: 43.500 Maßkrüge bisher eingesammelt
- Energie: 1.028.090 kWh Strom verbraucht
- Müll: 300 Tonnen Müll entsorgt, 7 Prozent weniger als im Vorjahr
- Sanitätsstation: Aicher Ambulanz mit 2.839 Einsätzen
3.4 million visitors in the first week
According to estimates by the festival management, 3.4 million guests (2022: 3 million, 2019: 3.3 million) came to the Theresienwiese up to and including Sunday. Of these, around 180,000 visitors* were counted at the Oidn Wiesn (2022: 100,000, 2019: 250,000). While the Wiesn is predominantly in regional hands, as it is every year, many guests from abroad were once again on the festival grounds this year, including from the USA, Austria and France. Italian visitors are also well represented and are no longer concentrated mainly on the middle weekend. For many foreign guests, too, wearing traditional costume is now part of the overall Oktoberfest experience.
The head of the Wiesn, Clemens Baumgärtner, summarizes the first week as follows: "The weather provided us with a truly magnificent Wiesn right up to the halfway point. Innkeepers, vendors and market traders are very satisfied with the way the Oktoberfest has gone so far, as are the security forces and the festival management. The guests are in the best of moods."
Food and drink
As the small and large Wiesn innkeepers report, traditional Bavarian cuisine continues to be in vogue. The classic Wiesn chicken was particularly popular in the gardens. Here, guests appreciate the transparency in the origin of the food used. The ever-growing range of vegetarian and vegan dishes is in constant demand. The vegetarian hit is also a classic: the Kässpatzen. Both the medium-sized businesses and the large tents report an increase in both food and beverages. Beer consumption rose by around 6 percent, but non-alcoholic beverages also sold very well. In some beer tents, the table water ran out in the meantime.
Official booking and resale portal
For the first time this year there are online portals of the hosts, where unused reservations can be exchanged or bought at the original price.This transaction processing ensures a safe purchase and protects against extortionate prices charged on the black market.21 medium-sized and large gastronomic businesses have chosen the Oktoberfest-Booking.com portal as their solution.
The platform reports 100,000 page views per day.So far, around 310 transactions have been processed.In the process, reservations for 360 tables for ten people each changed hands.So far, most of the tables have been sold immediately.
Street sale
In summer temperatures, refreshments went particularly well: drinks, ice cream or fruit.Burnt almonds, chocolate fruits and gingerbread hearts are still part of the Wiesn stroll.They are also popular to take home.
Fairground rides
The operators of the rides were very satisfied.They said that the freefall towers, the high chain flyer and the Ferris wheel were the main winners, offering not only fun on the rides but also a magnificent view over the festival grounds.
Souvenirs
The sale of official Wiesn souvenirs is going very well. In addition to magnets and pins, Maßkrüge (beer mugs) with the official logo and high-quality textiles are in particularly high demand. The pins with this year's official poster motif could be sold out after the second Wiesn weekend. To carry the souvenirs home, people like to buy the fabric bags on offer. Traditional hats are extremely popular and the chicken hat is also experiencing a renaissance.
The Wiesn hit
So far, no Wiesn hit has emerged. Even the employees of the immission control department, who regularly measure the noise level in the tents, have not yet been able to identify a favorite.
From the authorities yard
Police
The police is very satisfied with the course of the Oktoberfest so far. It praises the peaceful basic atmosphere, the predominantly reasonable guests and the good cooperation of all security forces as well as the cooperation with the Safe Space for Women. (Own report)
Ambulance station
The Aicher Ambulance also speaks of an overall positive course, The number of deployments is with 2,839 roughly analogous to the deployments in 2019. The CT was used 80 times. Particularly positive is the decrease in minors under the influence of alcohol (2023: 15, 2022: 46). (Own report)
Youth Protection
Youth Protection reported a quiet week. Here, too, there was less need to deal with heavily intoxicated minors. Two twelve-year-old girls, who had wandered onto the festival grounds with their three little cousins instead of onto the playground as agreed with their parents, were returned to their parents unharmed. The breastfeeding and diaper-changing room is very well frequented. Parents gladly take advantage of the opportunity to discuss parenting topics with the experts present.
Lost and found - many sunglasses, few umbrellas
The Wiesn lost and found office counted 1,200 lost and found items by Sunday (2022: 1,045, 2019: 1,370), including 210 IDs, 150 bank cards, 220 wallets, 70 keys , 65 bags, backpacks, pouches, 150 cell phones/smartphones, 80 pairs of glasses, including 50 pairs of sunglasses, 40 pieces of jewelry, 25 umbrellas. So far, 250 lost and found items could be handed over to the losers (2022: 285 lost and found items).
The desperate demand for lost cell phones was very high, since airline tickets or train tickets are usually stored there as well.The most curious lost property was a wedding gift box with a cookbook and various vouchers for the, hopefully still, happy couple.Stealing mugsAround 43,500 Maßkrüge have been collected by stewards so far (2022: 67,000, 2019: 56,000).
KVR
Food monitoring inspected 393 establishments. The food establishments are inspected several times a day with regard to proper operational, product and personnel hygiene as well as labeling. Early inspections are also carried out with regard to the proper delivery of goods (functional refrigeration or cleanliness).The KVR is pleased that a very high standard of hygiene has been established at the Wiesn.
Fire department
The fire department speaks of a quiet, beautiful Wiesn. An Iranian Basraro Warbler, which had flown into the police station, was captured. Subsequently, the bird could be released into the wild. (Own report)
TÜV
The TÜV speaks of an overall calm Wiesn comparable to 2019. The investigation into the Höllenblitz ride has not yet been completed.
Health department
The health department is very satisfied with drinking water hygiene, jug rinsing hygiene and cleanliness in public areas. The water checked daily at the drinking fountains is impeccable.
Energy and water
As in 2022, the Oktoberfest is supplied with 100 percent green electricity.In the first seven days, 1,028,090 kWh of electricity were consumed at this year's Wiesn.This represents a decrease of 15 percent compared to the same period in 2022, due to weather conditions. The average daily consumption was 146,870 kWh.
50 gas systems from the Theresienwiese supply network are supplied with natural gas. These are all large kitchens and barbecue facilities and, unlike in 2022, also the garden heating systems. Only the Münchner Stubn does not use gas at all.In the first seven days, 62,400 cubic meters of eco natural gas were consumed, 10 percent more than in 2022, but approximately 20 percent less than in 2019. Water consumption in the first seven days was 32.625 cubic meters, about 2 percent more than in 2022. 50,000 measures of water were dispensed at the five drinking water wells.
Munich Waste Management Company
By the halfway point, Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb (AWM) had disposed of 300 tons of waste, 7 percent less than the previous year. AWM is very satisfied with waste separation. This year's new offer of being able to dispose of mixed glass waste has been very well received by landlords.
Building department - Street cleaning
The daily cleaning of the festival site has so far been completely trouble-free for the street cleaning department. Even during the day, an electric vehicle and a small sweeper were used on the festival grounds as far as the flow of visitors allowed. As part of the overall area cleaning of the festival streets, a total of approximately 22 tons of sweepings and trash accumulated during the first week of the Wiesn up to and including Friday (2022: 25 tons, 2019: 33 tons).
MVG
MVG reports significantly higher passenger numbers, which could be due to the 49 euro ticket. Passengers were said to be in exceptionally good spirits. There were 32 temporary closures during the evening departure.
