Dynamic, modern, and emotional
Graphic designer Florian Huber from Kranzberg won the Oktoberfest 2026 motif competition. Second place went to the design by Karl-Roland Hefter from Munich, and third place went to Philipp Dauer, also from Munich. The jury was chaired by Dr. Christian Scharpf, (Referent für Arbeit und Wirtschaft) Head of Labor and Economic Affairs for the City of Munich: "The decision on the three winners of the motif competition was made after lively discussions, which is a testament to the quality of the designs submitted. Ultimately, the three winning motifs impressed us the most, especially Florian Huber's design, which is reminiscent of Lyonel Feinerger's style. It skillfully combines tradition and modernity, attracts attention with its bright colors, and evokes genuine emotions when viewing the art poster."
The winning motif by Florian Huber
“Dynamic, modern, emotional” – these are the adjectives used by the jury to describe Florian Huber's winning design. Born in 1968, the graphic designer and illustrator lives and works as a freelancer in the municipality of Kranzberg, north of Munich. Huber describes himself as humorous and sociable, as well as a passionate Oktoberfest visitor – characteristics that are clearly reflected in his design.
The motif captures the essence of Oktoberfest: joie de vivre, movement, tradition, conviviality, and pure festive spirit. The lower part of the image is reminiscent of a table surface and creates an inviting, communal space. At the same time, the towers of the Frauenkirche in the upper left corner make a strong reference to Munich's historical identity.
Iconic elements such as the tuba, pretzel, Ferris wheel, gingerbread heart, and beer mug merge into a colorful, almost magical composition that awakens an irrepressible desire to visit the Wiesn. The cheerful, open color scheme underscores the radiance of the festival – so it's no wonder that Huber took second place in the public vote. In addition, the graphically superbly executed motif is particularly suitable for use on licensed merchandise.
2. Preis: Karl-Roland Hefter
Karl-Roland Hefter, born in Munich in 1967, is a songwriter and singer as well as a member of the Munich City Council. After training as a sign painter, he studied graphic design. For him, the Wiesn is a Stück dahoam (“piece of home”) – a place with which he has a close personal connection.
Closely linked to his professional roots, it was only a matter of time before Hefter entered the poster competition with his own design. His poster impresses with its strong symbolic power: two brewery horses dynamically burst out of the picture frame, surrounded by hop cones and other traditional elements associated with Oktoberfest.
The jury particularly appreciated the fresh, new perspective of the motif and emphasized that, for the first time in an Oktoberfest poster, the much-loved and frequently photographed festively decorated horses take center stage.
3rd prize: Philipp Dauer
A red-haired Munich child – a real first in the motif competition: the members of the jury were unanimous on this point. Philipp Dauer's design, born in Regensburg in 2002, was also convincing in other respects.
After graduating from the Munich Design School, the communication designer is currently studying at Teesside University in Prague City. His humorous comic style with its idiosyncratic color scheme stands out thanks to its high artistic standards and convincingly captures the cheerful, unique atmosphere of Oktoberfest.
Dauer's lively depiction of the numerous protagonists, who are clearly on their way to the legendary “Run” to the Wiesn, is particularly successful – dynamic, energetic, and full of anticipation.
About the motif competition
The Department of Labor and Economic Development (RAW) of the City of Munich has announced the motif competition, which has been held since 1952, in cooperation with the official city portal muenchen.de. This year's competition jury consisted of seven expert judges from the fields of advertising and design, the Department of Labor and Economic Development, and six judges from the city council.
Anyone who uploaded a poster design for Oktoberfest in accordance with the technical and content specifications was eligible to participate. Among them were professional designers as well as dedicated self-taught artists.
Prize money and use of the winning design
The winners will receive €2,500 for first place and €5,000 in licensing fees. Second place will receive €1,250 and third place €500.
The winning design will be featured on the internet, on licensed merchandise, and on the Oktoberfest 2026 poster. It will also be featured on the official Oktoberfest™ collector's mug.
How the online vote went
This year, 129 designs were uploaded, 89 of which made it to the public vote. A total of 37,970 votes were cast in the online poll. The top 30 designs were then presented to the jury without any information about the artists or the results of the vote. The design competition was prominently announced on all muenchen.de and Oktoberfest.de channels, and the content was shared.
