“Ozapft is! Here's to a peaceful Oktoberfest!”
What a premiere. With just two hits, Mayor Dominik Krause tapped the first keg today, officially opening the 191st Oktoberfest. In keeping with tradition, the first Maß went to the Bavarian Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder. The ceremonial tapping at the Festhalle Schottenhamel was preceded by the procession of the Wiesnwirte. Under sunny skies, thousands of spectators watched the spectacle again this year.
The new OB taps the keg with just two hits
With two hearty hits, Munich’s OB Dominik Krause tapped the first keg at the 2026 Oktoberfest. The tapping took place, as is tradition, in the tapping box of the Festhalle Schottenhamel - the oldest of all the Wiesnzelte. Prior to that, the Festwirte and breweries had paraded from Josephspitalstraße to Theresienwiese in festively decorated carriages and magnificent brewery-drawn carriages. Tens of thousands of onlookers lined the streets and watched the colorful procession of Munich’s breweries, accompanied by music groups from the large Festzelte - all under bright sunshine. A total of 50 floats with around 1,000 participants took part in the festive parade.
Photos from the tapping ceremony at the Festhalle Schottenhamel
City Leaders Pay Tribute to the Vicitms of the Oktoberfest Attack
Earlier, OB Dominik Krause paid tribute to the victims of the Oktoberfest bombing on September 26, 1980, during his first entrance to the Wiesn. Together with the Bürgermeisterinnen Mona Fuchs and Verena Dietl, OB Krause stood at the memorial at the main entrance to the Oktoberfest. Wreaths had been laid at the site. With this commemoration, the city’s leadership also sent a visible message against right-wing violence.
The Oktoberfest bombing is considered the deadliest right-wing terrorist attack in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. Thirteen people lost their lives as a result of the attack, including the far-right extremist who carried it out. More than 200 Oktoberfest attendees were injured, some seriously. For decades, they fought alongside supporters for truth and recognition, and they continue to this day to ensure that the event is not forgotten. The gesture of pausing during the Wiesneinzug was also very important to the survivors.
The celebrations will continue through October 4th
As early as 9 a.m., the first visitors began pouring into the festival grounds in droves. On opening day, the festival tents and Schausteller were already packed by noon. With summery temperatures and plenty of sunshine, there was hardly a seat left in the beer gardens either. Compared to last year, attendance at the festival grounds is similarly high. Nevertheless, the atmosphere remained peaceful and festive. There have been no major incidents so far. The situation on the streets and at the entrances was relaxed.
The History of the Beer-Tapping Ritual
In 1950, a Münchner Oberbürgermeister tapped the first beer keg at the Festhalle Schottenhamel for the first time. At the premiere, the then-incumbent Oberbürgermeister, Thomas Wimmer, set a record that had never been matched: With 17 tentative hits, he took significantly longer to pour the first Maß of beer than any of his successors. Nevertheless, he thus established the wonderful tradition of the Oberbürgermeister personally tapping the first keg at Oktoberfest. The world-famous exclamation “Ozapft is” has since achieved cult status. Interesting fact: Since 1980, the incumbent Bavarian Minister-President (at the time, none other than Munich native Franz Josef Strauß) has been presented with the first Maß of beer at Oktoberfest.
