Oktoberfest was cancelled in 2020 for the primary time since World War II after the outbreak of the virus.

Frankfurt, Germany:

Germany’s iconic Oktoberfest beer competition will as soon as once more happen in Munich in 2022 after being cancelled two years working because of the coronavirus, the town’s mayor stated Friday.

The Oktoberfest could be held “without conditions or restrictions”, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter advised a press convention.

The world-renowned knees-up  drew round six million guests yearly earlier than the pandemic. It was cancelled in 2020 for the primary time since World War II after the outbreak of the virus.

The competition, normally held between September and October, was cancelled once more in 2021 as Germany battled consecutive lethal waves of the virus.

Since then, pandemic “conditions have changed”, Reiter stated, noting that the healthcare system was now not beneath important stress from the coronavirus.

“I hope the situation does not get worse in the autumn and that the festival will not have to be called off at the last minute,” Reiter stated.

Most Covid curbs have been lifted in Germany, together with the requirement to put on masks in outlets and faculties, whereas plans to introduce a vaccine mandate have been dropped.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has solid a shadow over comparable springtime festivities in Bavaria, the place the topic has been hotly debated.

Cancelling the Oktoberfest because of the battle “could not be justified”, Reiter stated, whereas sharing his sympathies with Ukraine and Munich’s twin metropolis Kyiv.

“Nobody can tell what the situation will be in autumn” with the battle, the mayor stated.

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