The organisers of the Windhoek Oktoberfest on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the annual cultural event following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the directive from President Hage Geingob against large gatherings.
The event was scheduled to take place on 30 and 31 October at the Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW) in the capital.
In a media statement Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) Global Marketing Manager, Rene Duffy said that the difficult decision was necessitated by the current uncertainty the world faces and the fact that under these circumstances, it is impossible to, with confidence meticulously plan an event of this magnitude.
“We take great pride in the Oktoberfest and how it evolved over the last 10 years from a small event of circa 300 people, into a two-day event with approximately 6 000 fest-goers, many traveling from far and wide to attend what has fondly become known as the jewel in the crown of NBL’s events calendar,” she said.
She said the Oktoberfest’s commitment to making up for the absence of this year’s event in the planning for next year, is that supporters can look forward to much more than what they are used to.
“The authenticity of the annual Windhoek Oktoberfest has contributed significantly to its success and is dependent on three fundamentals; the fest-goers, the special festbier, and the musicians that travel all the way from Germany,” she said.
Duffy noted that conscious of not creating an unnecessary risk for their long-standing partners and their stakeholders who are integral to the success of the event, they have opted to take a break, and ensure they use this time to start brainstorming and conceptualising their return in October 2021.