In three weeks, the time has finally come: after three years, the Frankfurt Oktoberfest finally kicks off again on September 07. Just how great the anticipation is is shown by the advance sales, which are currently running at full speed: "We have already sold more than 80 percent of the tickets," says Kai Mann, partner of the festival host. "For the current Corona situation and changed attitude of the guests, we are positively surprised about the ticket sales. We assume to the strong pre-sale of an extreme box office of the Kurzentschlossenen."
Oktoberfest fans who still have no tickets, should therefore hurry, especially since some of the total of 22 events are already sold out. At the parking lot P9 at the Waldstadion, preparations are also in full swing. Tent erection has already begun - a little earlier than in previous years. Dennis Hausmann, who is organizing the festival with his brother Patrick and Kai Mann, explains: "We also have personnel changes because of the pandemic. We have to train a lot of new colleagues first; in our 25-person set-up team for the tent alone, we have 80 percent new employees. In addition, there are new personnel in the service, in the checkroom, at the entrance and in the security."
To ensure that everything runs smoothly at the latest for the tapping of the barrel on 07 September and the guests can simply have a good time, it requires a somewhat more detailed preparation than was the case in the past. So there is no time to lose. A good 6,000 square meters are taken up by the marquee and the adjoining kitchen on the square in front of the Deutsche Bank Park, and the festival grounds cover a total of around 12,500 square meters. "There's quite a bit of logistics to be done, of course," reports Kai Mann. "There are also many new additions to the service staff; a total of around 150 waiters and waitresses will be there for our guests this year." Security will be provided by around 30 security staff.
"It's quite enormous how the number of guests has changed, and with it the number of our staff," says Mann. "12 years ago, at the first Oktoberfest, there were more waiters and waitresses than guests in the tent at a morning pint, 40 people total. At the last Oktoberfest in 2019, we had about 2,000 guests at each Frühschoppen. We will certainly achieve similar numbers again this year."
The Frankfurt Oktoberfest will take place from September 7 to October 3. After the opening with Mickie Krause as the main act, Oli P., Jimmie Wilson, the Weather Girls, Roy Hammer, Bernhard Brink and NDW star Markus, among others, will be on stage. The entire program and all other info can be found HERE in our event calendar.
Bookings for individual and group tickets are online at http://www.frankfurter-oktoberfest.de or by calling the ticket hotline at 069-407662580. Tickets are also available at all known advance booking offices. It is particularly beautiful that despite the altogether strained economic situation for organizers with the entrance fee an auxiliary project is supported: For each ticket sold, one euro goes to a school project in the Dominican Republic, realized by the non-profit Reiner Meutsch Foundation Fly & Help. Information about the foundation and the project is available at www.fly-and-help.de
