The Free State recommends that the Bavarian municipalities refrain from major public festivals this year as well. This is what Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said on Monday at a press conference after an hour-long video session with several mayors.
Munich Oktoberfest officially canceled
The infection situation is causing uncertainty among the organizers, Söder justified the recommendation: If a short-term cancellation is necessary, they are threatened with high economic damage. In addition, folk festivals under Corona conditions, for example in a scaled-down version, do not do justice to their brand. And “chaotic conditions” threatened, so Söder: “Keep your distance and wear a mask in the beer tent, that is not feasible.”
“Keep your distance and wear a mask in the beer tent, that is not feasible.”
Prime Minister Markus Söder–
The final decision, however, remains with the municipalities, said Söder on Monday: “When it comes to creative solutions, we want to be generous with each other.” Munich’s Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD), who took part in the press conference, has meanwhile confirmed what many had already suspected: the Oktoberfest in the state capital will also be canceled this autumn.
What the plans in the region look like
In Lower Franconia, the development is likely to have been received with varying degrees of interest. Because while the folk festival in Schweinfurt had already been canceled in April, there was still hope elsewhere: So in March the city council of Lohr (district Main-Spessart) decided that the Spessart Festival week should take place between July 30th and August 8th ?? however, in a slimmed-down version and only if it should be legally possible due to the pandemic. Condition: As the host, the city must not incur any loss. In the past few years, the festival week in Lohr had brought annual profits of between 70,000 and 80,000 euros.
The other major event in the Main-Spessart district? the Laurenzi fair in Marktheidenfeld ?? has not yet been canceled. It is scheduled between August 6th and 15th.
How and where? A decision is still being made about the Kiliani folk festival
In Würzburg they wanted to decide these days whether the Kiliani folk festival can take place again this year. Nothing has changed so far, said city spokesman Christian Weiß on Monday afternoon when asked. Most recently, the city had said that it wanted to “send a positive signal that you can continue planning with good hygiene concepts” – and then let the festival start on July 2nd. However, Kiliani should be smaller and move to the Mainwiesen. The Corona test and vaccination center is currently located on the traditional fairground, the Talavera.
–
