MUNICH (Reuters) -The annual Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, will take place this year without any coronavirus restrictions after being cancelled for the past two years due to the pandemic, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter said on Friday.

       "There will be an unrestricted (festival), which will hopefully give a lot of people a lot of pleasure," Reiter told a news conference, adding that he had instructed the festival's management to go ahead "without delay and without restrictions."

       The Oktoberfest is due to be held from Sept. 17 to Oct. 3.

       Reiter, who said he did not come to his decision lightly due to the pandemic as well as the war in Ukraine, added that there remained the possibility the Oktoberfest could be cancelled if government officials reinstate pandemic measures.

       "I hope that the situation will not come to a head in the autumn," he said.

       The Oktoberfest usually attracts around 6 million visitors to Munich a year, with many travelling from abroad. Revellers sit at long communal tables to swig beer, eat sausages, pretzel or pork knuckle, and listen to oompah bands.

       (Reporting by Reuters TVWriting by Paul CarrelEditing by Miranda Murray)