Hello Europe Podcast Podcast

Germany: Oktoberfest, the Oktoberfest, celebrates its 186th edition

At precisely noon today, the mayor of Munich will pronounce the words that announce the launch of the 186th Oktoberfest. A magic formula in Bavarian dialect, " o zapft is " , which means that the barrels of the beverage are opened with a hammer and that the beer can flow freely. The Munich Beer Festival is the biggest party in the world ... but it's also a lucrative business.

For those who have never been there, imagine a giant square in the heart of the city, covered with rides and attractions. And especially covered with giant tents, those of different Bavarian brewers, which, in the opinion of fans, offer of course the best beer in the world.

The deafening din of beer drinkers

Inside, tables and benches are lined up around a platform where folk music groups and entertainers perform. The mugs slam, the drinkers climb on the benches, everyone dances in a dizzying din while the waitresses dressed in the traditional Bavarian dress pass through the ranks arms loaded with mugs. The men all wear the skin pants, the women the dirndl . Last year, the Oktoberfest attracted 7 million visitors and drank 8 million beer mugs. Turnover of 16 days of festivities: one billion euros, just under the tents. To this is added 320 million euros spent upstream of the festivities, especially for the purchase of the proper attire. Because if the skin panties are swallowed by the years, the dirdnl him changes every year.

The Oktoberfest, a German national pride

The Oktoberfest does not take place in Munich. Today, almost every city in Germany has its own beer festival. In Berlin, there are even several all over the city. Of course, nothing to do with the original Munich. But the business around beer is so juicy that the Oktoberfest has emulated all over the country, driven by the federations of distribution. "The Oktoberfest is an important factor for turnover for the trade," insists the federation, which places the Oktoberfest behind Christmas, Easter and carnival in terms of turnover in the country.

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