The 191st edition of Oktoberfest began on Saturday, Sept. 19, in Munich, Germany. Mayor Dominik Krause initiated the event at the Theresienwiese fairground by tapping the first beer keg with two strikes and announcing, "O’zapft is," signaling the start of the 16-day folk festival.
The festival, which runs until Oct. 4, attracted thousands of early-morning attendees dressed in traditional Bavarian dirndls and lederhosen. Visitors filled beer tents to secure seating while consuming traditional foods such as pretzels, pork roast, and sausages.
German authorities implemented expanded security protocols for the event following temporary closures due to overcrowding during the previous year's festival. Measures include a ban on knives, large bags, and flying objects like drones. Additionally, the consumption of marijuana is prohibited within the festival grounds.
According to the German news agency dpa, the security presence includes approximately 600 police officers, Bavarian riot police, and specialized pickpocket investigators. International task forces from eight countries are also participating in security operations. New technology, including AI-powered cameras designed to detect large crowds early on, was deployed.
The scale of the festival involves coordination between German authorities and international partners. With an expected attendance of 6 million over 16 days, the daily average volume reaches roughly 375,000 people. These visitors encounter a regulated environment where personal belongings are restricted and specific behaviors, such as smoking marijuana or operating drones, are barred.
The outcome of these security measures and crowd management strategies will serve as a reference point for future large-scale public events in Germany. The festival concludes on Oct. 4, at which point authorities will be able to assess the effectiveness of the monitoring systems and the ban on specific items. Until then, police will continue to monitor the fairgrounds daily.