- Title: Munich's Oktoberfest, the world’s largest and rowdiest beer festival wraps up
- Date: 6th October 2024
- Summary: MUNICH, GERMANY (OCTOBER 6, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TOP VIEWS OF MUNICH OKTOBERFEST SHOWING VISITORS IN BEER TENT VARIOUS OF CHEERING AND SCREAMING VISITORS TOASTING AND DRINKING BEER WALKING VIEW OF TYPICAL OKTOBERFEST DISHES OF HALF CHICKENS, DUMPLINGS AND PRETZELS ON WAITRESS' TRAY VARIOUS OF CHEERING AND SCREAMING VISITORS TOASTING AND DRINKING BEER TOP VIEW OF BEER
- Embargoed: 20th October 2024 14:18
- Keywords: Oktoberfest beer ends final day gun salute rowdy tent
- Location: MUNICH, GERMANY
- City: MUNICH, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Human Interest/Brights/Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA003971506102024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The 189th Munich Oktoberfest ended on Sunday (October 6) after 6.7 million visitors attended the world’s largest beer festival, according to the city of Munich.
The final day of the two-week long party at the Bavarian capital’s Theresienwiese, known by locals as "Wies'n", was marked by the traditional gun salute at the bottom of the "Bavaria" statue where hundreds of onlookers listened to the brass band accompanying the ceremony.
Official figures released by the city of Munich show beer sales went down this year to around 7 million one litre mugs (2.1 U.S. liquid pints), from 7.2 million mugs sold last year.
The heavy glass mugs appeared so popular with visitors that this year, 98,000 of them were confiscated from people trying to smuggle them out of the beer tents.
In 2023, a total of 115,600 glass mugs were returned to their rightful owners, the brewers, official figures show.
"We had high numbers of reported crimes but the figures are considerably lower than last year, especially against women and drunken youths,” said Oktoberfest boss, Clemens Baumgaertner, who called the festival's security concept "perfect."
Police said the crime rate during this year's two weeks of rowdy partying fell by 25.8%.
According to the city of Munich, Oktoberfest’s start was brought forward to September in 1872 "to make use of the late summer weather."
Ever since, Oktoberfest has begun on the Saturday after September 15 and ended on the first Sunday in October.
(Production: Ayhan Uyanik, Louisa Off, Michele Sani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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