The annual Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, will not take place for a second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic, the premier of the southern German state of Bavaria has said..Bavarian premier Markus Soeder told journalists that it was necessary to cancel major events such as the Oktoberfest again this year because they required large financial commitments and the risk was too large given uncertainty over when the pandemic may ease up.

“Also, in classic beer halls measures such as social distancing and mask-wearing cannot be enforced,” Soeder said.