Oktoberfest by the Numbers: Visitors, Beer Prices and Records

The festival grounds: How big is Oktoberfest?

The entire Theresienwiese covers around 42 hectares. In 2026, Oktoberfest occupies 34.5 hectares of that area, including the 3.5-hectare Oide Wiesn.

Around 13,000 people work at Oktoberfest — approximately 8,000 permanent staff and around 5,000 temporary and rotating workers. The food and beverage businesses provide a total of around 120,000 guest seats.

One of the largest tents is the Hofbräu-Festzelt, with around 10,000 seats. At the other end of the scale is Schiebl's Kaffeehaferl, with just 60 seats.

👉 Oktoberfest occupies 34.5 of the Theresienwiese's roughly 42 hectares and offers around 120,000 guest seats.

Oktoberfest 2026: New visitor record with 7.4 million guests

Around 7.4 million people visited Oktoberfest in 2026—a new record! The previous year, the figure was approximately 6.5 million.

The Oide Wiesn attracted 447,000 paying visitors; in 2025, there were 360,000. The vast majority of guests came from Munich and the surrounding area.

Beer, non-alcoholic beer and other drinks

Festival operators estimated beer consumption in 2026 at around 6.7 million *Maß* (liters). The previous year, the figure was approximately 6.5 million.

The trend regarding non-alcoholic beer is notable; consumption was around 10% higher compared to the previous year.

Oktoberfest records: Visitors, beer and festival tents

• Visitor record: 7.4 million guests

• The 2026 Oktoberfest holds the visitor record. Around 7.4 million people attended the festival.

• Beer record: 79,225 hectoliters

• The all-time beer record dates back to 2011. That year, 79,225 hectoliters of beer were served — almost eight million liters.

• Largest beer tent ever

• The largest beer tent in Oktoberfest history was the Pschorr-Bräurosl in 1913. Covering 5,500 square meters, it had room for around 12,000 guests.
• Today, the largest Oktoberfest beer tents accommodate around 10,000 guests.

• Temperature record: 30.7°C

• Oktoberfest 2025 began with a weather record: 30.7°C was recorded on opening day. It had never been that warm during Oktoberfest before.

Electricity, gas and water: Oktoberfest consumption in 2026

The scale of the Oktoberfest is also evident in its energy and water consumption. In 2026, the festival was supplied entirely with green electricity from SWM.

• Electricity consumption during operations: around 2.65 million kilowatt-hours
• Natural gas consumption: 129,651 cubic meters
• Water consumption: 83,800 cubic meters

In addition, around 198 cubic meters of water were drawn from the free drinking water stations during the 16 days of the festival.

More than 1,015 metric tons of waste

The Wiesn also posts impressive figures regarding waste disposal. The preliminary final report for 2026 lists a total of 1,015 tonnes of waste.

This breakdown includes:

• 804 tonnes of residual waste for thermal recovery
• 84 tonnes of paper, cardboard, and cartons
• 127 tonnes of mixed broken glass

Lost property and disappearing beer mugs

By Monday, October 5, an estimated 4,000 lost items had been registered. Compared to the previous year, this represents a projected decrease of 500 items (-12 percent). The figures below are based on data from October 2 and account for items expected to be found during the final three days, which typically see high visitor numbers. The most common lost items were:

• 1,050 articles of clothing (+/- 0 percent)
• 700 wallets (-15 percent)
• 450 ID cards (-15 percent)
• 250 bank cards (-20 percent)
• 400 mobile phones/smartphones (-10 percent)
• 350 pairs of glasses (+15 percent)
• 220 sets of keys (-30 percent)
• 180 bags, backpacks, and pouches (+15 percent)
• 20 umbrellas (-70 percent)
• 30 hats (-20 percent)
• 35 watches (-10 percent), including 25 smartwatches
• 15 high-value pieces of jewelry (+/- 0 percent)
• 12 pairs of shoes

Numerous beer mugs were lost—though not entirely voluntarily: according to the festival summary, security staff intercepted around 105,000 mugs that guests were attempting to take off the grounds. In 2024, the figure was around 116,000.

Frequently asked questions about Oktoberfest figures

How many visitors come to Oktoberfest?

In 2026, around 7.4 million guests visited the Wiesn, setting a new record. The previous record was held by the 2023 Oktoberfest, with around 7.2 million visitors.

How large is Oktoberfest?

The Oktoberfest grounds cover 34.5 hectares, 3.5 hectares of which are taken up by the "Oide Wiesn." The entire Theresienwiese site measures approximately 42 hectares.

How many people work at Oktoberfest?

Around 13,000 people work on the festival grounds during the Wiesn.

How many seats are there at Oktoberfest?

There are a total of around 120,000 seats available across the various hospitality venues.

How much beer is consumed at the Wiesn?

In 2026, festival operators estimated beer consumption at around 6.7 million *Maß* (liter-sized mugs). The all-time record was set in 2011, with 79,225 hectoliters.

How much electricity does Oktoberfest consume?

In 2026, approximately 2.65 million kilowatt-hours of electricity were consumed. The Wiesn was powered entirely by green electricity from SWM.