Jun 15, 2016

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Countdown to the Oktoberfest 2016: Only three months to go

Countdown to the Oktoberfest 2016: Only three months to go

What, you mean you’ve only just started planning your summer holidays? In Munich, city council staff are way ahead of you –  they’re thinking about the Oktoberfest 2016 in late September! The tent landlords, too, are mentally a few months forward, too, and will soon be starting the annual building frenzy on the Theresienwiese. They’re all used to thinking ahead, of course, because the rhythm is the same every year – as are the controversies, novelties, and uncertainties.

Controversies: Who gets a tent? Oktoberfest 2016

For years now, the city authorities in charge of planning the Oktoberfest and – most importantly, perhaps – handing out the annual concessions for landlords, stallholders, and fairground impresarios have been stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, everyone has their favourite tent, stall, or ride that they’ve been going to for years and without which “their Wiesn” just wouldn’t be the same. On the other hand, everybody knows that a concession at the Oktoberfest is the equivalent of a licence to print money and suspects that a lot of notes change hands in brown envelopes to secure one.

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Poschner’s: It’s back.

This puts the city in the difficult position of, by re-awarding concessions every year, trying to demonstrate that every tent and every stand on the Wiesn has earned its place while, at the same time, making sure that tradition is upheld and that the entire geography of the Oktoberfest doesn’t change every year – especially since there are actually very few people with the expertise (and pockets) deep enough to set up and run larger beer tents. That’s why they only make changes here if there is no other choice.

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Heimer: It’s gone.

Nevertheless, the city authorities have made this very difficult task all the more difficult for themselves by allowing the impression to arise that they are in cahoots with the bigger tent landlords and only willing to pick on the smaller ones. Every year a smaller food tent doesn’t get its licence renewed – for reasons which are never fully explained. Last year, it was Poschner’s chicken roastery, this year, its chicken and duck carvery Heimer (Enten- und Hühnerbraterei Heimer). Although the official criteria used to select applicants for concessions are actually public, they leave a lot of room for interpretation, and many suspect that these smaller stands are sent packing for a year every now and then simply so that the city can claim that there is no birth right to a plot on the Theresienwiese – despite the very obvious fact that many of the larger tents a family businesses who’ve been there for over a century.

Most Oktoberfest-goers are happy for the large tents to remain every year: after all, tradition is the central plank of what the celebrations are, so it would seem odd to have new tents every year. But Wiesn-goers also don’t like being taken for fools. In terms of PR, Munich council is not exactly gifted.

Novelties: Who gets a seat? Oktoberfest 2016

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Everyone dreams of being in Schottenhamel on tapping day!

Indeed, the city knows that it is rapidly losing support for the intransparent way it handles the whole business, and is doing what authorities always do in this kind of situation: demonstratively allowing the public to “participate” in an attempt to dispel accusations of cronyism and collusion. As such, this year’s Oktoberfest poster was the last that the city authorities have themselves selected: as of next year, the best 20 or so designs will be put to a public vote. That’s probably the reason why the city is also allowing residents to enter a tombola for 20 seats at the official tapping ceremony in Schottenhamel: the message is “Look, we are taking you guys seriously” – but the reality is, of course, that it’s only superficial issues that can be resolved like this.

Uncertainty: Who even gets in? Oktoberfest 2016

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Schützenfestzelt: Redesigned for 2015 due to safety concerns.

Given the city’s habit of running the Oktoberfest without real public involvement, it’s actually genuine progress that the council meeting about safety and security at this year’s Wiesn was held in public (most committees meet confidentially). It’s pretty obvious that, given the recent resurgence of the terrorist threat – not to mention the fact that the bombing of 1982 is currently being reinvestigated – the Oktoberfest won’t be able to continue in such a carefree manner as it has in recent years. People are afraid – both Fest-goers (visitor numbers are slightly down in recent years) and, above all, the police and the city authorities. Security experts are quite clear on the fact that an event of this size can never be made 100% safe, but some think that it might be a good idea to carry out bag searches at the entry points; others are of the opinion that visitors are simply too numerous to set up barriers. Then there are the safety issues due to weight of visitors: just last year, Schützenfestzelt had to reduce its footprint to free up space along emergency exit routes.

The right level of security is no easy matter – and so the committee has delayed its decision until later in the year. But at least, on this issue, we know why. And, quibbles about the degree of participation and information aside, who isn’t looking forward to the Oktoberfest 2016?

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