Was ist los in Franken? Sept. 9, 2016

Landesgartenschau Bayreuth (Photo by Bianca Sowders)

Landesgartenschau Bayreuth (Photo by Bianca Sowders)

ANSBACH, Germany (Sept. 9, 2016) – “Was ist los in Franken?” details off-post community events and activities occurring throughout Middle, Lower and Upper Franconia.

Green Night in Ansbach
Ansbach is hosting the biennial “Green Night” with special events and green lighting all over downtown on Saturday, Sept. 10. A Bach concert in Gumbertus church at 6.30 p.m. opens the event; historical monuments can be visited from 8 p.m. to midnight, stages throughout town host live bands. To learn more, contact the Ansbach Tourist Office “AKuT” at akut@ansbach.de or 0981-51-243.

BEWARE THE TRAFFIC JAM: This is the last weekend of school break for the children in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg; also, the many construction sites add to the problem. Travelers should prepare for lots of traffic and Staus on the main routes (especially the Autobahn), or try to avoid them completely. Most affected are A 9 (München – Nürnberg – Berlin), A 3 (Passau – Nürnberg – Frankfurt – Köln – Oberhausen) and A 6 (Mannheim – Heilbronn – Nürnberg), and the border crossings from Austria.

KONTAKTA – Ansbach
The biennial expo KONTAKTA takes place at the Festplatz Hofwiese (Nürnberger Strasse) on Sept. 7 – 11; the expo features special exhibit about topics like construction, energy efficiency, health, mobility or sports; special entertainment is provide for the kids. Opening hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. To learn more, go to Kontakta.

“Onion Stomper” Fest in Bamberg
The annual Zwiebeltreterfest on the Böhmerwiese (Heiliggrabstraße 57) takes place Sept. 8 through 11; music and culinary specialties entertain the adults, while the kids can spend time with arts and crafts or enjoy the bouncy castle. In case of inclement weather the fest is moved to a tent. Admission is free; to learn more go to Zwiebeltreterfest.

Flea Market in Nürnberg
Germany’s largest flea market, the Trempelmarkt in Nürnberg takes place twice a year; this fall it will take place on Sept. 9 and 10; more than 4000 vendors are offering their junk and treasures on and around the Hauptmarkt on Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. Taking public transportation is recommended, since parking will be very limited. To learn more, go to Trempelmarkt.

Day of the Open Monument
Once a year visitors can enter sites that are normally not open to the public; Germany-wide communities host the “Tag des offenen Denkmals” as part of the European Heritage Days on the second Sunday in September every year. Ansbach lets people get a glimpse of the inside of Herrieden Tor, the church towers of St. Ludwig and St. Johannis or the Synagogue, just to mention a few.  This year the event takes place on September 11; to find out more about Ansbach offerings, visit Tag des Denkmals in Ansbach For more information about the program and other communities, visit Tag des offenen Denkmals.  A detailed program for the Ansbach county can be found at Denkmaltag Ansbach County.

Fall Market in Nürnberg
The Nürnberg “Herbstmarkt” takes place on the main market place (Hauptmarkt) downtown Sept. 15 through Oct. 3; vendors sell household goods, pottery, clothes and arts and crafts. Opening hours are daily 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. To learn more, visit Herbstmarkt.

Grafflmarkt – Fürth
The Grafflmarkt in Fürth, a large flea market downtown, takes place on Sept 16 and 17 between Gustavstrasse, Grüner Markt and Paisleyplatz. Opening times are Friday 4 – 10 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Altstadtfest – Nürnberg
The traditional Altstadtfest downtown Nürnberg, scheduled for September 19 -26, is one of the most popular highlights in the Franconian event calendar. The Hans-Sachs-Platz and Insel Schütt turn into fest grounds with wooden huts that offer local culinary specialties; the entertainment program includes cultural and traditional events, like the Fischerstechen, an event that includes boats on the river and people with long poles pushing each other off these boats. Program details and other information can be found at Altstadtfest.

Oktoberfest in Munich
The Oktoberfest in Munich – the original Oktoberfest – is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world’s largest fair with more than 6 million people from around the world attending every year. It started out as a royal wedding celebration in October 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen; the fields, where the celebration took place, were named Theresienwiese (“Therese’s Meadow”) in honor of the crown princess.

The Oktoberfest, also known as the “Wies’n,” takes place on Munich’s Theresienwiese on Sept. 17 to Oct. 3. The midway is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (30 minutes longer on the weekends); the beer tents have the same opening hours, but the last beer will be served an hour before closure.

*Highlights: Highlights of the Oktoberfest – besides the numerous rides, attractions and tents – include the opening parade of the Wiesn-Wirte (tent owners) on Sept. 17 at 11 a.m., the traditional garb and master shooters parade (Trachten- und Schützenzug) on Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. or the traditional gun-salute on the steps of the Bavaria monument at noon on October 2. Official family days with reduced prices are Tuesdays from noon to 6 p.m. Since there is no parking anywhere close to the location, visitors are encouraged to come to town by train or take advantage of the park & ride system and leave their vehicle at a public transportation stop outside of the city, using the subway (U-Bahn) to get there.

*Security concept: The security concept of the Oktoberfest is based on decades of experience and constantly reviewed. New this year will be a “security fence” along open stretches as well as a ban of back packs and larger bags; smaller bags are subject to search. Strollers are only allowed on weekdays until 6 p.m.; completely forbidden are items like glass bottles, gas spray cans or knives. On the busier days, like the weekends, visitors are advised to refrain from bringing small children. For more information about the Oktoberfest go to www.oktoberfest.de/en.

Guided Ansbach City Tour in English – Oct. 1
Ansbach´s more than 1250 years of eventful history has left its marks: gorgeous Baroque style facades and hidden Renaissance inner court yards, the former Margrave’s Royal Chapel, the crypt with its 25 sarcophagi and the Baroque Synagogue are just a few highlights that you will discover during the one-hour-guided city tour the tourist office offers on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 5 p.m.; meeting point is the horse sculpture “Anscavallo” on Schlossplatz (Promenade 27) downtown Ansbach. Cost per person is 6 euros; a preregistration at akut@ansbach.de or 0981-51-243 is preferred, but spontaneous participants are welcome as well.

Refrain from Carrying Backpacks
In light of recent events throughout Europe, visitors may be prohibited from bringing backpacks or larger bags to public events; if allowed, the bags may be subject to search. To avoid inconvenience it is recommended to carry only what’s really necessary and leave larger carrying items behind.

State Garden Show in Bayreuth
Every year the state of Bavaria hosts a garden show in a different location; landscapes are transformed into beautiful garden scenes, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. This year the “Landesgartenschau” is located in Bayreuth, capital of Upper Franconia. The show is open daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. until October 9 along the Roter Main River (Friedrich-Ebert-Straße/Äußere Badstraße). Day tickets are available for 16 euros for adults, an annual pass is 100 euros; children 7-17 years old pay 3 euros per day or 25 for the annual pass. Visitors arriving by train at the Bayreuth Bahnhof can use a free shuttle to the location and will receive a 2 euro discount on their (adult’s) ticket by showing the train pass. To learn more about the garden show, visit Landesgartenschau

Volksmarch Hiking Days
Volksmarches or “Internationale Wandertage” are a form of non-competitive physical fitness training, which takes the participants through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Germany.  The walking distance varies from 5 to 10 or 20 kilometer routes on scenic trails through forests, along rivers and lakes or around historic sites. There is no set start time, but a window of time for hikers to start the route, and finish it at their own pace. Trails are typically marked well along the way. Many trails are stroller-friendly and provide great opportunity to explore the countryside. After the walk the local hiking clubs usually offer food and drink in a hall or tent, sometimes even at a half-way point. Avid hikers can get a hiking passport stamped each place they participate, and many clubs reward their visitors with a small token.

* September 10 and 11 in Kitzingen: Distances are 6, 10 and 20 kilometer; start time is 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on both days. Starting point is Sportzentrum Sickergrund on Sickershäuser Str. 7, 97318 Kitzingen.

* September 17 and 18 in Oberasbach: Distances are 6, 11, 20 and 42 kilometers. Start times are Saturday 6:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. (6, 11, 20 km) and 6:30 – 9 a.m. (42 km), Sunday 6:30a.m. to noon (6, 11, 20 km) and 6:30 – 9:00 a.m. (42 km); starting point is DJK-Halle (St. Johannes Straße 6, 90522 Oberasbach). To learn more, visit Volksmarch Oberasbach

 

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