We Speak Events

Prost to a Record: Munich’s Oktoberfest Pulls 7.4 Million Visitors for the Biggest Wiesn in History

Published

3 weeks ago

October 5, 2026

The 191st Munich Oktoberfest closed on Sunday 4 October 2026 with a ceremonial gun salute after 16 days at the Theresienwiese — and with a new place in the record books. Approximately 7.4 million guests attended, a new all-time visitor record that surpassed the previous mark of 7.2 million set in 2023, according to the City of Munich. “This makes the 2026 Wiesn the most visited in its long history,” said Oktoberfest director Christian Scharpf.

Beer consumption rose with the crowds: guests drank 6.7 million Maß — 6.7 million litres — of festival beer, a 2.7 per cent increase on the 6.5 million recorded in 2025, according to the city and the Association of Munich Breweries. Food vendors reported sales up 2 to 3 per cent, driven by renewed demand for traditional roast chicken.

The clearest shift in drinking habits came from the alcohol-free taps: demand for non-alcoholic beer surged 10.7 per cent year-on-year, overall non-alcoholic beverage consumption grew 10 per cent, and wheat beer volumes rose 12.6 per cent. Organisers credited the city’s “How to Wiesn” visitor-management campaign and late-summer weather for spreading the crowds: weekday attendance rose 18.5 per cent in the first week and 28.9 per cent in the second, and the heritage-themed Oide Wiesn drew 447,000 visitors.

Most visitors came from Germany, with Americans, Italians and Austrians topping the foreign contingent, and staff collected 105,000 beer mugs from guests who tried to take them home. Despite the unprecedented crowds, Munich’s mayor Dominik Krause and Scharpf said an updated security concept with temporary access restrictions and camera surveillance prevented critical overcrowding.

The record was built as much on spread as on size: with weekday crowds up sharply in both weeks and the Oide Wiesn heritage section drawing 447,000 visitors of its own, the 191st edition distributed its 7.4 million guests across the full 16 days rather than overwhelming the weekends. Next year’s Oktoberfest runs 18 September to 3 October 2027, when Munich will try to defend a record that stood for only three years before this edition broke it.

We Speak Cars & Racing

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias Brings His Classic VW Buses to LA Auto Show Industry Day

Published

2 days ago

October 23, 2026

Royal Jones

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias standing beside a classic Volkswagen bus from his personal collection

The LA Auto Show is adding some serious star power to Industry Day. Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias will showcase five hand-selected classic Volkswagen buses from his famous personal collection at AutoMobility LA, the show’s industry and media day, on Thursday, November 19, and he will host meet-and-greets with attendees.

If you know Fluffy, you know the buses are no gimmick. Iglesias is one of the most devoted Volkswagen collectors in entertainment: his collection runs to nearly 30 classic buses, valued at around $3 million, and lives in a garage he calls the Fluffy Museum. It all started with his first car, a VW bus, and the obsession never left. He recently walked Ford CEO Jim Farley through the collection and the stories behind it on Ford’s DRIVE podcast.

For anyone who somehow missed him: Iglesias is one of the most successful stand-up comedians on the planet. His Netflix specials, including I’m Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hungry and Stadium Fluffy, made him the first comedian to sell out Dodger Stadium. He starred in the Netflix sitcom Mr. Iglesias and has voiced characters in Coco, Ferdinand and The Book of Life. A Fluffy appearance at an auto show is exactly where entertainment and car culture meet.

Industry Day will have plenty more on the floor. Attendees can see vehicles including the Chevy Silverado, the Rivian R2 and the Nissan Rogue, and get behind the wheel at Camp Jeep and Bronco Mountain, with test rides and drives running through the day.

The LA Auto Show says more entertainment news is coming soon, and media registration for Industry Day credentials is now open. We Speak Media will be following every announcement.