Oktoberfest to return to Munich after two years, 'without conditions or restrictions'

The annual two-week festival draws millions of visitors to the German city every year

Oktoberfest celebrations have been cancelled for the past two years owing to the coronavirus outbreak. AFP

Germany's Oktoberfest will once again take place in Munich in 2022 after being cancelled for two years running owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the city's mayor, Dieter Reiter, said on Friday.

Oktoberfest will be held "without conditions or restrictions", he said.

The world-renowned festival drew about six million visitors annually before the pandemic. It was cancelled in 2020 for the first time since the Second World War after the outbreak of coronavirus.

The event, usually held between September and October, was cancelled again in 2021 as Germany battled consecutive deadly waves of Covid-19.

Annually, the lively two-week-long festivities are held in packed tents with long wooden tables and oompah bands. Traditionally Bavarians don lederhosen and dirndls for the event.

Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, more than two million international visitors had been expected to travel to Munich for Oktoberfest. It makes more than $1 billion for the city each year.

Pandemic "conditions have changed", Reiter said, noting that the healthcare system was no longer under significant stress from the coronavirus. There, however, remains a possibility that Oktoberfest could be cancelled if government officials reinstate pandemic measures.

"I hope that the situation will not come to a head in the autumn," Reiter said. "I hope the situation does not get worse in the autumn and that the festival will not have to be called off at the last minute."

Most Covid-19 curbs have been lifted in Germany, including the requirement to wear masks in shops and schools, and plans to introduce a vaccine mandate have been dropped.

History of Oktoberfest

In the modern day, festivities are replicated in bars and gardens around the world, but Oktoberfest has very regional beginnings.

The tradition dates back to 1810, when the event were held to celebrate the October 12 marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese.

Munich's citizens were invited to join the celebrations, which were held for five days in the fields outside of the city gates.

In 2019, the event attracted a total of 6.3 million people across more than two weeks, with the crowds gathering in its 14 large and 21 small tents.

— Additional reporting from AP and AFP