After 16 days of beer, brass bands and bustling tents, Munich’s 190th Oktoberfest has come to an end — and its final balance is as mixed as the weather that accompanied it.
City officials reported around 6.5 million visitors, slightly fewer than last year’s 6.7 million, while some 7 million litres of beer were served in 2024 compared to 6.5 million Maß in 2025.
The festival’s charisma remains intact, but this year’s Wiesn was overshadowed by a tragic incident and logistical missteps that forced temporary closures of the grounds.
Tragedy and security shutdown
Mid-week, a 57-year-old man triggered a major police operation after a family dispute ended in violence and a bomb threat linked to the Oktoberfest.
The festival was closed for over seven hours, paralysing large parts of Munich. The suspect later took his own life after reportedly killing his father and injuring two relatives.
City authorities believe this incident alone accounts for the dip in attendance.
Crowd chaos and organisational errors
On two separate days, police had to seal off the festival grounds because of overcrowding.
The first closure in particular sparked criticism over unclear announcements and crowd management.
Wiesn chief Christian Scharpf (SPD) admitted mistakes: “We reacted — but not as quickly as we should have. The situation was recognised too late.”
Despite the setbacks, the city called the festival’s pull “unbroken amid rapid ups and downs.
” The October 3 public holiday was the busiest day, even after a temporary closure for safety reasons.
Visitors, beer and food
Average weekday attendance ranged from 200 000 to 250 000 guests. About 21 percent of all visitors came from abroad — mainly the US, Italy, the UK, Austria, Poland, Spain, France, India and Sweden.
Large tents reported up to six percent higher food sales, while smaller vendors saw increases of around four percent.
Beer consumption, however, declined slightly. Security teams prevented 116 000 attempts to steal beer steins.
Lost and found, waste and emergencies
Roughly 4 500 lost items were registered — ten percent more than in 2024 — including 1 100 pieces of clothing, 800 wallets, 600 IDs and 400 smartphones. Around 900 items were returned to their owners on site.
Munich’s waste management service collected 764 tons of trash, about 12 percent less than last year.
Police reported a “normal level of incidents,” while medical teams handled 28 percent more cases — largely due to the opening weekend’s 31 °C heat.
Looking ahead
Despite the turbulence, organisers, vendors and brewers ended the festival on a positive note.
“Detlef,” the autumn storm that swept across Germany, spared the final days of the Wiesn — and Munich is already counting down to its next edition in 2026.
