Was ist los in Franken? Oct. 25, 2021

ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 25, 2021) — “Was ist los in Franken?” details off-post community events and activities occurring throughout the Franconian region (and beyond).

Halloween in Germany

Halloween parties and trick-or-treat have made their way over to Germany more than a decade ago; German children dress up to ring their neighbors’ doorbell and ask for “Süßes oder Saures,” meaning if they don’t get any sweets, they will ‘give’ the residents something ‘sour’ or unpleasant.  An unwritten rule is that a house with a lit front porch light welcomes trick-or-treaters, but they may still get a confused look by unaware residents.

Teens and adults like getting together for Halloween dress-up parties, where, much like in the U.S., ‘spooky’ food and beverages are being served.

Many of the German amusement parks, called Freizeitparks, offer special activities and decorations for the Halloween season; it’s worth checking out their websites and look for specials.

Rock the boat on Halloween

A Halloween rock party takes place Oct. 31 on the Mississippi Queen, starting at 7 p.m. The Mississippi Queen is a party boat, docked permanently in the Nürnberg harbor at Donaustraße 40. To find out more about the event, visit https://mq-nuernberg.de

Open House at the Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Ansbach

The mini zoo for rescued tigers and exotic animals in Ansbach-Wallersdorf (Leinmuehlstr. 2) is hosting their monthly open house on Sunday, Nov. 7 from 1 to 5 p.m. Guided tours take place every full hour. Visitors can purchase bratwurst and beverages on site.  Admission is free, but donations are always welcome. Dogs on a leash are allowed. Contact tracing, medical mask requirement and 3-G rules are in place. To learn more, visit https://www.facebook.com/Raubtier-und-Exotenasyl

Consumenta Nürnberg

The Consumenta, a large consumer fair, takes place at the Nürnberg Messezentrum Oct. 30 through Nov. 7; visitors can find lots of information about technology, real estate, cooking and baking, pets, horses, creative hobbies, new inventions, and much more. Opening hours are daily 9:30 a.m. through 6 p.m. Admission only with 3-G (vaccinate, recovered, tested – with proof); medical masks indoors (not required for children under 6 years). To learn more, visit www.consumenta.de

All Saints Day marks holiday in Bavaria

Allerheiligen (All Saints Day) is a Christian day to remember all saints, martyrs and deceased. Following “All Hallows’ Eve” (better known as Halloween), it is observed Nov. 1 every year in Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland, as well as in Austria and Italy.

Pumpkin Festival in Ludwigsburg

The annual pumpkin festival on Ludwigsburg’s castle grounds (Marbacher Strasse 10, 71640 Ludwigsburg, Germany) is open until Dec. 5. Visitors can expect spectacular works of art created from 450 000 pumpkins and gourds, or admire more than 500 variations of the vegetable. Culinary delights like pumpkin soup, burgers or strudel can be tried on site. For more details, visit www.kuerbisausstellung-ludwigsburg.de/en  or https://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.