Skip next section Officials rule out extending Oktoberfest after bomb threat closure
10/02/2025October 2, 2025
Officials rule out extending Oktoberfest after bomb threat closure
Munich’s Oktoberfest will not be extended by a day despite Wednesday’s temporary closure over a bomb threat, officials have said.
Festival spokesman Peter Inselkammer told broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk that an extension “is really not possible at such short notice,” noting staff contracts end Sunday and most workers leave immediately afterward. He said it was also unclear whether visitors would book tables for an added day.
Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told Bayerischer Rundfunk the decision lay with the city but would “not be easy.”
Herrmann added that no risks remain after Wednesday’s incident and Thursday has been a normal festival day, with investigations now focusing on the suspect’s motive.
The hospitality association DEHOGA had suggested an extension as a sign of resilience.
https://p.dw.com/p/51Ork
Skip next section Hospitality group floats Oktoberfest extension after bomb threat closure
10/02/2025October 2, 2025
Hospitality group floats Oktoberfest extension after bomb threat closure
After Wednesday’s due to a bomb threat, the German hospitality association DEHOGA has suggested extending the festival as a sign that “life’s joy will not be spoiled.”
Managing director Thomas Geppert said the event was “a world-renowned symbol of Bavarian hospitality, joy of life, and solidarity.”
He said he does not expect visitors to stay away following the bomb threat or the overcrowding seen on Saturday, adding the swift response by authorities had reassured guests. “When it’s open again, I am sure the tents will be full,” he said.
Whether an extension is feasible remains unclear, with officials pointing to the city’s approval and the challenge of finding enough staff on short notice.
Geppert said it was too early to assess the economic impact of the shutdown, though he noted the festival had been “very good” so far and could still be “sufficiently profitable.”
https://p.dw.com/p/51Ofq
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage10/02/2025October 2, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Tag from DW’s newsroom on a sunny day in Bonn by the lovely Rhine River.
You join us as a German hospitality association suggests extending Oktoberfest after Wednesday’s bomb threat.
The festival grounds were shut down for hours after police linked a bomb threat to a fire and explosions at a house in the city’s north.
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https://p.dw.com/p/51Ofo
The post Germany news: Oktoberfest extension proposed after scare appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
