Wiesn ride announcers balance showmanship with safety

Ride announcers at the Oktoberfest entertain visitors while operating attractions and keeping an eye on safety, BR reports. Known in German as “Rekommandeure”, they use microphones to build excitement and encourage people to ride, while also controlling the equipment.

Alisha Kaiser, 21, operates the 90-metre Bayern Tower, a chain carousel. From her control booth, she can see all 32 seats on a monitor. When every indicator turns green to show that riders are secured, she starts the ride. She also controls the sound effects, echo and lights while watching that everything runs safely.

Visitor numbers rise during the day and, from about 7 p.m., more people who have been drinking arrive. Kaiser has to assess who is still fit to ride. “I can’t be playing on my phone or anything,” she says. “I really have to watch that everything is running and make sure it’s safe.”

Kaiser works in shifts with a colleague, switching every 90 minutes to help maintain concentration. The pace also affects business: long queues could prompt visitors to go elsewhere. Her father, Egon Kaiser, invested about five million euros in the attraction. He says business has been going well, helped by good weather. So far, there have been no incidents.

The city commissions particularly thorough safety checks for Oktoberfest rides. The TÜV inspects every safety device before the festival, rather than checking only a sample, as happens at many other fairs. During operation, responsibility also rests with the people at the control panels.

The Kaiser family has worked in the fairground business for decades. Egon Kaiser and Tanja Kaiser-Grünberg share a grandfather who came from the circus and had 12 children; many later travelled with carousels, stalls and rides. Kaiser-Grünberg has been the voice of the Breakdance ride at Oktoberfest for about 30 years. Her son JJ, 18, now also announces and operates rides. He says he is not yet as good at multitasking as his mother. The aim, he says, is for everyone to leave the ride safely and in good spirits.