New Oktoberfest boss Christian Scharpf: A record year is now called!

New Oktoberfest boss Christian Scharpf: A record year is now called!

A new chapter for the Oktoberfest in Munich: Christian Scharpf, the new Oktoberfest boss and 53-year-old economic officer of the city, has great ambitions. Since taking office in March 2025, he has already established himself as a passionate Oktoberfest goaler and brings a fresh wind to the organization of the world's largest folk festival. Preparations for the Oktoberfest, which will take place this year from September 20 to October 5, are already in full swing. Scharpf plans to be present every day at the Oktoberfest during the entire festive season and thus set a personal record. In conversation with Merkur he explains his motivation: "As a studied lawyer, I learned to appreciate the Oktoberfest during my studies."

In order to be optimally accessible during the two turbulent weeks, Scharpf, like his predecessor Clemens Baumgärtner, moves to a hotel on the edge of the Theresienwiese. He reserved his room at his own expense. "It is important to be able to be quickly on site," he explains. Despite the nearby place of residence in Maxvorstadt in Munich, he sees the need to optimize logistics during the Oktoberfest. Public transport is particularly well frequented during this time, and Scharpf has a full schedule with numerous position consultations, especially with regard to safety issues.

Man behind the Oktoberfest coordination

Christian Scharpf was born in Ingolstadt and has made an impressive career that, among other things, brought him back to Munich as a city director. "I waived the office of mayor in Ingolstadt in order to move back to my wife and our four children," said the SPD politician, who was elected by the Munich city council with 44 votes. His predecessor, tree gardener, had already warned that the Oktoberfest should not be under the influence of large corporations, a responsibility that Scharpf would like to take on with great careful

Although he is only new in the job, Scharpf brings a lot of experience from his time as a personal employee of the former mayor Christian Ude and knows the challenges associated with such an important event. Many associations and companies use the Oktoberfest to make networks and make new contacts, which increases the pressure on the organization.

The challenge of the loud beer tent atmosphere

Another aspect that will accompany shark during his daily engagement is the noise in the beer tent chapters. "I have already started using neckpastilles to protect my voice," he smiles. The balance between the creative pressure and celebrations at the Oktoberfest is an art in itself who wants to tackle sharp with a lot of passion. He is convinced: "Every visit, every interaction counts. I would like to make sure that we keep the tradition of the Oktoberfest in full and introduce innovations at the same time."

his enthusiasm and his professional experience could give the Oktoberfest additional momentum this year. It remains to be seen how the new Oktoberfest team will master the challenge at the traditional festival, but one thing is certain: Christian Scharpf at the top will be exciting what the Oktoberfest 2025 has to offer.