Germany’s Oktoberfest cancelled again due to Covid concerns
The world’s largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, will not take place for a second year in a row due to coronavirus concerns, German authorities have said.
Oktoberfest attracts around six million visitors to Munich every year, with many travelling from abroad. Revellers sit at long communal tables to drink beer, eat food, and listen to music.
Bavarian premier Markus Soeder told journalists that it was necessary to cancel the event because it required large financial commitments and the risk of cancellation was too large.
“Also, in classic beer halls measures such as social distancing and mask-wearing cannot be enforced,” Soeder added.
Germany has vaccinated more than 28 per cent of its population so far and infections are falling across the country.
There is hope that restrictions that were re-imposed in November and tightened further last week will be lifted soon.
This year’s Oktoberfest was scheduled to run from 18 September to 3 October.