Was ist los in Franken? Sept. 2, 2016

ANSBACH, Germany (Sept. 2, 2016) – “Was ist los in Franken?” details off-post community events and activities occurring throughout Middle, Lower and Upper Franconia.

Denkmaltag in Ochsenfurt (Photo Ernst Lindner)

Denkmaltag in Ochsenfurt (Photo Ernst Lindner)

Reichsstadt-Festtage – Rothenburg
The Reichsstadt-Festtage or Imperial Days in Rothenburg ob der Tauber on Sept. 2 through 4 celebrate the history of the old Imperial city. Every century is represented with its unique clothing and stories. The festival includes many different events and performances; highlights are the Meistertrunk, the historical Shepherd’s Dance, a torch parade of participants and fireworks. To learn more, go to Meistertrunk.

Bards Meet in Ansbach
Ansbach’s Bardentreffen with German singers, bands and songwriters takes place Sept. 3 and 4 downtown in various locations, including the Reitbahn and Gumbertusplatz. Admission is free, concerts start at 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.

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 Festival in Bamberg

Onion Stomper Festival in Bamberg

“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 www.altstadtfest-nue.de.

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.

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.

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 3 and 4 in Leinburg: Wandertag with distances of 5, 10, 20 and 30 kilometers. Start is 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. (5, 10 km), 7 a.m. – noon (20 km) and 7 – 10 a.m. (30 km) at Schützenhaus (Nürnberger Straße 47, 91227 Leinburg). To learn more, visit Volksmarch Leinburg.

* 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.

(Visited 287 times, 1 visits today)

Leave a Reply