Three months before the first barrel is tapped, the Theresienwiese has transformed into one of Europe’s largest temporary construction sites. After a last-minute legal battle threatened to delay the festivities, diggers and lorries have finally rolled in to begin assembling the 2026 Oktoberfest.
A race against the calendar
The sound of excavators has replaced the oompah bands on Munich’s historic fairground. On Monday, the city officially launched the set-up for the world’s largest folk festival, which opens its doors on September 19. Over the next weeks, a sprawling temporary city of beer tents, rollercoasters, market stalls and beer gardens will emerge from the bare ground. The Theresienwiese is currently a vast building site, but within months, it will once again host millions of revellers.
Legal hurdles cleared
The start of construction was overshadowed by a fierce legal dispute over the allocation of several lucrative tent concessions. The Wiesn has long been a battleground for hospitality heavyweights, with regular conflicts erupting over prime spots and profitable pitches. Organisers could only stick to their timetable after a court rejected an emergency motion from a losing applicant.
“Thank God the court ruled in time; we’ve been allowed to proceed with the 2026 Wiesn in its usual format, and that’s why we’re starting on time today,” said Christian Scharpf, head of Munich’s economic department. “One of the largest temporary construction sites in Europe kicks off today. Each tent requires between 70 and 100 lorry loads of materials.”
Logistics on a grand scale
The assembly of the Oktoberfest infrastructure is a massive logistical operation that spans roughly a quarter of a year. Thousands of tonnes of material must be delivered and installed in the coming weeks. The largest beer halls alone demand several dozen lorry trips each, not including the fairground rides, communication networks, kitchens, beer cellars, and complex technical systems that underpin the festival.
City authorities have consciously pushed the start date forward by two weeks compared to previous years. The extra buffer is designed to absorb weather-related delays — a wise precaution given recent summers marked by heavy rainfall.
“We started a fortnight earlier, not just in July. That’s proving to be a very good thing,” Scharpf also noted.
Comfort over crowds
When the first barrel of beer is ceremoniously tapped on September 19, the city expects several million international guests to flood through the gates. Last year, around 6.7 million visitors attended the festival. Yet Scharpf was keen to stress that chasing attendance records is not on the agenda.
“We’re not chasing records here; the Wiesn has to remain cosy. Last time it was 6.7 million visitors – that’s fine. We can live with those numbers quite easily, and that’s exactly what we hope for this year,” he said.
The final countdown
For now, the landscape is defined by cranes, hard hats and the clatter of spanners. But in less than three months, the heavy machinery will make way for brass bands, clinking steins and whirling carousels. The countdown to Oktoberfest 2026 has officially begun.
