Oktoberfest 2025: Highlights & Surprising Stats

The 190th Oktoberfest was held from 19 September to 4 October 2025 in Munich, Germany!

Oktoberfest 2025 began with a lively atmosphere as thousands gathered at the Schottenhamel tent to witness the festival’s iconic opening ceremony. True to tradition, Munich’s Mayor, Dieter Reiter, took center stage, tapping the first beer keg with a resounding “O’zapft is!” (“It is tapped!”), officially marking the start of the celebration. In keeping with long-standing customs, the first frothy mug was then handed to the Minister-President of Bavaria, setting the tone for the festivities ahead.

Oktoberfest 2025 concluded with impressive numbers and significant events. Around 6.5 million people attended Munich’s Oktoberfest festivities. Visitors celebrated for 16 days at the world’s largest folk festival.

Table of Content

1- Attendance & Demographics Total number of attendees Visitor breakdown by nationality Age group trends 2- Beer & Food Consumption Total beer consumption & best-selling varieties Growth of vegetarian/vegan options Traditional meat consumption statistics 3- Sustainability & Resource Usage Energy and water usage data Green initiatives and waste management 4- Security & Lost Items Safety protocols and security reports Strangest lost & found items 5- New Attractions Notable new rides and experiences 6- Conclusion Key insights and future festival trends

Time to check out the sections where we break down the numbers, stats, and beer-fueled milestones from this year’s festival! 

Section 1: Attendance and Demographics Oktoberfest 2025

1.1 Total Visitors and Attendance Trends:

Approximately 6.5 million guests attended the festival, a slight decrease from the 6.7 million in 2024. According to a survey, over half of German participants not only did not attend the Oktoberfest but were also not interested in doing so. In contrast, almost 1/10 of respondents stated that they had previously attended this event and would prefer to return.

International Guests: Nearly 21% of visitors came from abroad. The majority of international guests hailed from:

• United Kingdom
• Netherlands
• Switzerland
• Spain
• Austria
• Poland
• France
• USA
• Italy 

Here is a comparison of Oktoberfest 2025 attendance with the previous years. 

Year	Attendance	Notes
2025	6.5 million	Despite a slight decrease from the previous year, the festival remained the largest in the world.
2024	6.7 million	Despite a slight decrease from the previous year, the festival remained the world’s largest folk festival.
2023	7.2 million	Record attendance; the festival was extended by two extra days to coincide with the German Unity Day national holiday.
2022	5.7 million	Marked the return of the festival after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020-2021	N/A	Oktoberfest was canceled due to the pandemic.
2019	6.3 million	Held as scheduled before the pandemic interruptions.

1.2 Age Demographics: 

Notably, 27% of adult attendees were aged between 18 and 29, indicating a growing interest among younger visitors. Other notable age groups included:

• 50 to 59 years: 21%
• 30 to 39 years: 20%

Section 2: 2025 Consumption and Operations

2.1 Beer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Consumption:

Over the 16-day event, attendees drank over 7 million liters of beer. It was nearly the same as that consumed in 2025. This highlights the enormous scope of the event and amounts to almost 2 million gallons or 131,234 kegs of beer.

The demand for non-alcoholic drinks remained high, with water, apple spritzer, and Spezi being popular choices. Non-alcoholic beer accounted for 4 to 5% of total beer sales.

Beer Prices (per Liter in Euros) in Different Oktoberfest Tents

Except for one tent, the price of a stein or Maß of beer at the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, increased in 2025. Prices varied across tents at the carnival, but the most costly Maß was found at the Weinzelt, where Weissbier was offered.

2.2 Food Consumption:

There was an increase in food sales, indicating attendees’ growing appetite for traditional Bavarian cuisine. More than 147,000 vegetarian and vegan dishes were sold at the 2025 Oktoberfest.

Specific items consumed included:

• Fish: 44,320 kilograms of fish served, showcasing the festival’s diverse culinary offerings.
• Roast Chickens: Approximately 549,899 units sold
• Pork Shanks:75,456
• Calves: 58 calves consumed.
• Oxen: 109 oxen consumed.

2.3  Resource Usage & Sustainability Efforts

Oktoberfest 2025 has shown huge efforts needed to handle millions of visitors and the massive use of resources. As a countermeasure, organizers introduced a number of sustainability initiatives to minimize environmental impacts.

Resource Consumption:

Resource	Quantity Used	Remarks
Electricity	2.8 million kWh	Almost the same as 2024
Natural Gas	165,000 cubic meters	Essential for cooking and heating across festival grounds.
Water	81000 cubic meters	Used for food preparation, sanitation, and beverage services.
️ Waste	764 tons of garbage	Highlights the importance of waste management at large-scale events.

Sustainability Initiatives 

Green Energy: The festival ran entirely on green electricity. Around 65% of vendors chose eco-friendly energy options, reducing carbon emissions.

Waste Reduction: Organizers focused on composting organic waste. They also cut down on single-use items like paper towels and aluminum bags.

Eco-Friendly Packaging: Vendors were encouraged to use local, sustainable products. Many switched to reusable or recyclable materials to reduce waste.

Water Conservation: Water-saving technology was introduced across the festival. Waterless urinals helped cut down excessive water use.

Section 3: Safety and Security 

On October 1, 2025, Oktoberfest temporarily closed for several hours following a bomb threat linked to a 57-year-old German man who had set fire to his family home in northern Munich and died by suicide near a lake. Authorities discovered explosive devices at the residence and found a written threat targeting the festival. Police conducted a comprehensive security sweep of the Theresienwiese fairgrounds with explosive detection dogs and over 500 emergency personnel before reopening the festival at 5:30 p.m. local time after determining no explosives were present. 

Following this incident and a crowd panic event earlier in the festival, Oktoberfest 2025 implemented comprehensive safety and security measures to ensure a safe environment. In comparison to prior years, these efforts were significantly enhanced.

Enhanced Security Measures at Oktoberfest 2025

Security Measure	Description
Metal Detectors	Installed at all entrances with comprehensive screening procedures to prevent prohibited items from entering the festival grounds.
Bag Restrictions	Bags larger than 3 liters (maximum dimensions 20×15×10cm) were banned, with thorough entry checks in place at all entrances.
Increased Surveillance	Over 50 surveillance cameras were placed throughout the venue for enhanced monitoring of the entire Theresienwiese festival grounds.
No-Fly Zone	A 5.5-kilometer no-fly zone was enforced around the Theresienwiese fairground throughout the festival period.
Police Presence	600 police officers and over 2,000 security personnel (including municipal workers and private security) were deployed for crowd control and safety monitoring.
Safe Space for Women	A designated Safe Space was established behind the Schottenhamel tent to support women and girls experiencing harassment or feeling unsafe, staffed by professional psychologists, social workers, and trained volunteers.
Emergency Response Infrastructure	Multiple medical stations, a 24-hour police station at the Service Center, lost-and-found services, and emergency communication systems operated throughout the festival grounds.

Section 4: Lost and Found Statistics

4.1 Breakdown of Lost Items:

4,500 items were reported to the Lost and Found office during Oktoberfest 2025, representing a 1,000 item increase from 2024 and reflecting the vast festival scale and occasional slip-ups in attendees’ attention. 

• Clothing: 1,100 articles, highlighting the festive attire’s occasional misplacement. 
• Wallets: 800 instances, underscoring the importance of securing personal belongings in crowded environments. 
• Passports and IDs: 600 documents, emphasizing the need for careful handling of essential identification. 
• Credit/Debit Cards: 450 cards, indicating frequent misplacements during the festivities. 
• Mobile Phones: 400 devices, a reminder of the challenges in keeping track of valuables amidst celebrations.
• Keys: 370 sets, reflecting the common oversight of such small yet vital items.
• Glasses/Sunglasses: 280 pairs, showing how easy it is to misplace eyewear in the festivities. 
• Bags, Backpacks, and Pouches: 150 items, underscoring the importance of vigilance with personal belongings.
• Umbrellas: 60 umbrellas, a testament to the unpredictable weather and the challenges of keeping track of accessories.
• Hats and Watches: 40 items, including 25 smartwatches. 

Among the more unusual items handed in were a wallet with 620 euros in cash, a mouth guard, a new dirndl, a pair of lederhosen, an accordion, an insulin syringe, a cutlery box with contents, and a new Apple iPhone 17.

4.2 Recovery Rate:

Around 900 items were returned to their owners. The Lost and Found office handled the process efficiently.

These statistics highlight the importance of keeping personal belongings secure. Staying vigilant ensures a hassle-free Oktoberfest experience.

Section 5: New Attractions in Oktoberfest 25′

Oktoberfest 2025 brought fresh thrills with exciting new rides, adding even more adventure to the festival.

New Attractions at Oktoberfest 2025

Sky Lift Observation Tower: A 71-meter high sky lift tower with glass-floored gondolas offered a panoramic view of the Munich ground.

Jim & Jasper’s Wildwasser: A classic log flume ride that brought water-based excitement to the festival after a five-year absence.  Kick Down: A dynamic ride that combines three motion sequences, featuring a rotating arm with an inclined axis moving a platform in the opposite direction. Five free-swinging four-person gondolas on this platform reached speeds up to 50 km/h.  Dr. Archibald Master of Time: A large-scale dark ride experience that utilized VR headsets, offering a unique and immersive journey through time.

Let’s Conclude! 

Oktoberfest 2025 marked the end of another year of beer, food, and memorable moments. Attendance was slightly lower due to the security threats, but the festival continued to hold court as the world’s largest jolly folk knees up. Visitors feasted on millions of liters of beer, tasty Bavarian dishes and thrill-inducing new rides. Over the past years, sustainability action has only continued to soar, with a focus on green energy and waste reduction. However, everyone was kept safe as security was tight.

Lost and Found had its usual surprises, from Lederhosen to a dental splint. With Oktoberfest 2025 already on the horizon, one thing is certain—more beer, more fun, and probably more lost items.