Following the cancellation of last year’s Oktoberfest, and the uncertainty surrounding this year’s event due to coronavirus, rumour has it that the German beer festival might be making it to Dubai this autumn.

Drinking in the desert

Reports in the German media suggest that an Oktoberfest event is being planned for this year - in Dubai. The event was leaked to the media by Charles Blume, who heads the Berlin Christmas Market and is one of the organisers of the Dubai version of Oktoberfest. Blume told reporters that the event had already been given the green light by officials in Dubai.

The festival is set to take place from October 7, 2021, until March 31, 2022, at the Dubai Marina. It will reportedly emulate the Munich Oktoberfest, with 32 beer tents, a Ferris wheel and even a life-sized replica of the famous Bavaria statue.

In an effort to try and replicate the traditional festival, the Dubai event will host a multitude of German entertainers and brewers, and so lots of traditional German food and German beer will be on hand. A total of 620 businesses have reportedly signed on for the event.

Not your average Oktoberfest

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Dubai Oktoberfest has planned some ostentatious features that will be unique to the event, including the “world’s longest beer bar” and a 60-metre maypole. There will even be a celebrity line-up, which is set to include the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lothar Matthäus, Pamela Anderson and Steven Seagal.

Alcohol will be allowed on the festival grounds; however, festivalgoers will have to take shuttle buses between their hotels and the event area to respect the local rules and customs. Organisers are also planning strict hygiene and safety measures to ensure the safety of both the guests and employees.

The event is said to cost a reported 50 million euros and Blume has emphasised that the event in Dubai will be bigger and more international than the festival in Munich. The festival is yet to be officially confirmed and announced.