Was ist los in Franken? Sept. 29, 2017

ANSBACH, Germany (Sept. 29, 2017) – “Was ist los in Franken?” details off-post community events and activities occurring throughout the Franconian region.

Erntedank in Pfronten (Photo: Tag der Regionen)

Fall Market in Nürnberg
The Nürnberg “Herbstmarkt” takes place on the main market place (Hauptmarkt) downtown until Oct. 1; 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.


Miltenberger Weinherbst
The wine town Miltenberg is hosting a wine fall fest at Engelplatz Sept. 22 through Oct. 3; the fest is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Oct. 1 is open shop Sunday.


Fall at the mall
The Ansbach Brücken-Center mall hosts a fall fest with many local vendors and representatives from the Triesdorf school of agriculture Sept. 26 through 30. To learn more, visit Bruecken-Center.


Erntedankfest (Thanksgiving) in Gunzenhausen
Gunzenhausen is celebrating (German style) Thanksgiving Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the Seezentrum Gunzenhausen-Wald, at 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.  More than 50 vendors offer wood crafts and decoration, jewelry, arts and crafts, candles, scents and more;  there will be entertainment for the whole family with music and performances by different groups, petting zoo and more. Home-baked bread, Bratwurst, smoked fish, honey and other regional products make sure visitors don’t go hungry. A shuttle service transports guests to and from the fest arena and parking lot. For more information go to Erntedank Gunzenhausen.


Medieval days at Freilandmuseum
The historical outdoor museum in Bad Windsheim is hosting medieval days Sept. 30 through Oct. 3, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; more than 70 volunteers demonstrate everyday life in the old houses, including old crafts, personal hygiene, cooking or entertainment. To learn more, visit www.freilandmuseum.de.


Photo: Fürther Kirchweih

Michaelis Kirchweih in Fürth
The Michaelis Kirchweih in Fürth Sept. 30 through Oct. 11 is Bavaria’s largest street Kirchweih fest. Special event highlights include a street fun run and the harvest thanksgiving parade Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. To learn more about the fest program and other details, visit Michaeliskirchweih.


Nightmarket in Ansbach
A night flea market takes place at Posthof Ansbach Saturday, Sept. 30 from 4 to 11 p.m. DJ music and food trucks keep visitors entertained and fed while browsing the stands. Admission price is 1 euro. Find out more by visiting Nightmarket.


Erntedank – October 1
German thanksgiving, the Erntedank Fest, has a long tradition; unlike in the U.S., the German harvest festival of thanks is not a big family holiday, but mostly a religious and rural celebration. Farmers and hobby gardeners bring samples of their harvest to church on Sunday, where the food is blessed.


Tag der deutschen Einheit – German Holiday, October 3
The Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) on Oct. 3 is a nation-wide holiday in Germany. It is the national day of the Federal Republic of Germany, commemorating the anniversary of German reunification in 1990, when the hopes for a united Germany were finally fulfilled after decades of separation. Every year a different city hosts the national celebration. As usual, all stores and businesses will be closed for the day; many communities celebrate with a local ceremony.


Pottery Market in Nürnberg
Ceramic and earthen pots and kitchen ware are for sale at the Töpfermarkt in Nürnberg at the Hauptmarkt Oct. 7 and 8. To learn more, visit Töpfermarkt.


Guided English tour through Ansbach
The Ansbach tourist office is offering a guided tour in English. The very knowledgeable Alexander Biernoth will take participants around town and talk about more than 1250 years of history, including Baroque style facades and hidden Renaissance inner court yards, the former Markgrave´s Royal Chapel, a crypt with its 25 sarcophaguses and the Baroque Synagogue. The tour starts at the horse sculpture Anscavallo at Schlossplatz (across from the Residenz castle) Saturday, Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. The 90-munite tour costs 6 euros per person and takes about 90 minutes. To learn more, contact the Ansbach Tourist Office at 0981-51-360 or akut@ansbach.de


Second Hand Bazaars for Parents
Parents are cleaning out the closets of their ever-growing offspring and take it to numerous “Kinderbasars” or “Baby-Basars” happening in the area. Look for posters or flyers in your community advertising the bazaars for second hand clothing, toys and equipment; usually they take place on a Saturday afternoon in the local church annex, school or community center.


Wochenmarkt Ansbach
The Wochenmarkt Ansbach is a typical German market featuring fresh goods like vegetables, flowers, meats, home-made noodles or ice cream, fresh-baked bread, cheeses and other dairy products. The vendors are often farmers from the area, who sell their own products. They set up their carts and stands on Martin-Luther-Platz twice a week, Wednesday and Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (except German holidays).



Beyond the Franconian borders …

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 until 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.

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 spry 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.


Pumpkin Festival in Ludwigsburg
The annual pumpkin festival on Ludwigsburg’s castle grounds (Marbacher Strasse 10, 71640 Ludwigsburg, Germany) is open now until Nov. 5. Visitors can expect spectacular works of art created from 450 000 pumpkins and gourds, or admire more than 500 variations of the vegetable; this year’s overarching theme is “Rome.” Culinary delights like pumpkin soup, burgers or strudel can be tried on site. For more details, visit Kürbisausstellung-English or www.facebook.com/kuerbisausstellung.




The information on local host nation events is provided through the auspices of the USAG Ansbach Public Affairs Office (PAO). All details provided are for informational purposes only and are a representation of typical events conducted in the local community. The PAO grants no element of exclusivity to any outside agency or business and any reference to commercial or retail activities implies no endorsement or recommendation by the U. S. Army or its agencies. Participation in any event or activity described herein is strictly voluntary and should be done so only after careful advisement and consideration of the safety and security environment at each specific location.

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