For almost 200 years, the Cannstatter Volksfest has enjoyed enormous popularity and annually attracts about four million visitors from near and far to Stuttgart, the state capital of Baden Württemberg. People are captivated by the special atmosphere of the wonderful funfair coupled with beautiful festival tents, a colorful flea market and many spectacular attractions. Rich in tradition, the Cannstatter Volksfest is not only the biggest festival in Baden Württemberg but it is also has one of the biggest funfairs in the whole of Europe.

This year the festival takes place on Sep 28, 2018 – Oct 14, 2018.

The Cannstatter Volksfest is an annual three-week Volksfest (beer festival and traveling funfair) in Stuttgart, Germany. It is sometimes also referred to by foreign visitors as the Stuttgart Beer Festival, although it is actually more of an autumnal fair.

The festival takes place at the Cannstatter Wasen from late September to early October, spanning a period over three weekends, ending the second Sunday in October. The extensive Wasen area is in the Stuttgart city district of Bad Cannstatt, near the river Neckar. A smaller variant of the Stuttgart festival, the Stuttgart Spring Festival, is also held each year in Wasen.

Although the Volksfest is not strictly speaking a beer festival, it is considered by many to be the second largest beer celebration in the world after the Munich Oktoberfest. According to estimates about 4.2 million people visited the festival in 2006. The Volksfest begins one week later than the Oktoberfest.

In a time of political strife and economic weakness, Württemberg’s King Wilhelm I and his wife Katharina laid the foundations for what today has become known as the Cannstatter Volksfest by forming the “Centralstelle des landwirtschaftlichen Vereins” – an agricultural organization – in 1817. An agricultural festival with horse races, prizes for outstanding achievements in livestock breeding combined with a people’s festival was, in accordance with the king’s wishes, designed to revive Württemberg’s economy after the damage done to it during the Napoleonic wars.

Everything was then prepared for 28 September, one day after the king’s birthday, in the following year. The original Cannstatter Wasen site has been the venue for the major festival ever since 1818. At the time it was an idyllic though watery meadow on the banks of the River Neckar which was yet to be dammed up. Lying between green fields and vineyards and without any surrounding buildings, the Wasen, as the site is called by the locals, lay within view of the royal Villa Bellevue close to the Wilhelma, the only combined zoo and botanical garden in Germany. It was therefore only a short horse-drawn carriage ride away for the festival’s benefactor who had no intention of missing the ceremonial opening and witnessing the successful start. The original idea of the “king amongst farmers and the farmer amongst kings”, as Wilhelm I was called by his contemporaries, continues today in the shape of the so-called “Landwirtschaftlichen Hauptfest”, a large agricultural show running parallel to the Volksfest that showcases all the latest technology within the farming industry in the state of Baden Württemberg.

The “Fruchtsäule” (Fruit Column) is the emblem of the Cannstatter Volksfest. There has been a towering column decorated with many different kinds of fruit, cereals and vegetables ever since the first Volksfest in 1818. Today the symbol reminds one of the origins of the Volksfest, namely the agricultural festival. Commissioned and funded by King Wilhelm I, the frist fruit column was designed and built by the architect to the royal court, Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret, the money for the first fruit column was funded by King Wilhelm I.

The “fruit column” is a wooden pillar decorated with fruit, it is 26 m high and weighing 3.5 tons. After World War I, with the beginning of the Weimar Republic, the fruit column was removed from the Cannstatter Wasen as it was considered a relic of the monarchy. Since 1935, the 100th anniversary, it has been back in its traditional place. Until recently the fruit column, the design of which has changed over the years, was dismantled after each Volksfest. Every few years it is redesigned. Since 1995 it has been left in place throughout the year and is thus also on display at the Stuttgart spring festival. In recent years only the tip has been dismantled leaving the lower portion in place housing information stands and the Cannstatter “city can”.

Today, there are seven large beer tents on the Cannstatter Wasen for people to celebrate in. They either have their own name or carry the name of the brewery supplying the beer.

• Schwaben Bräu tent of Alexander Laub, remodeled in 2006 and now offering room for about 5,200 people
• Stuttgarter Hofbräu tent of Hans-Peter Grandl, room for 5,000
• Dinkelacker tent of Dieter and Werner Klauss seating 4,500 visitors
• Fürstenberg tent – from 2000 to 2004, Walter Weitmann organized a tent with about 5,000 seats for the Fürstenberg Brewery, which courted the other breweries’ resentment by both its size and the origin (Fürstenberg is from Baden). In 2005, a smaller tent (room for 2,800) run by Peter Brandl replaced Weitmann’s
• Festzelt Göckelesmaier – established in 1938 as Maiers Karle, renamed because of the roasted chicken (Swabian: Göckele) served there, seats 2,500, also serves Stuttgarter Hofbräu beer
• Festzelt Wasenwirt – room for 2200, Stuttgarter Hofbräu
• Arcadia Erlebniszelt – established in 2005, 1,800 seats, an artificial waterfall and Dinkelacker brew

Since 1982 the tents of Laub, Grandl and Klauss have been located by the fruit column. Each tent takes it in turn to host the opening ceremony. The price for a Maß is usually the same in all tents.

Traditionally a parade also takes place at the Wasen, usually on the first Sunday. In 1954 a record number of spectators attended the parade along the route from Stuttgart’s central square to the Wasen site: 300,000.The Mohrenköpfle is a pig in the parade. On the orders of King Wilhelm I, masked pigs (Maskenschweine?) were imported from Central China in 1820/21, in order to improve pig breeding in the kingdom of Baden-Württemberg. This crossbreeding with the “Chinese pigs” was particularly successful within the stocks of domestic pigs in the Hohenlohe region and the area around the town of Schwäbisch Hall.

Oktoberfest 2018 is a lot sooner than you think, with the festival beginning on 22 September (and lasting 16 days) through to 7 October. Here are some interesting facts and traditions surrounding the world’s most famous beer festival.

1. It’s not a beer festival

Contrary to popular belief, Oktoberfest – or “Wiesn”, to the locals – is not a beer festival, but the anniversary celebration of the wedding between Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and his wife, Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. When they got married in 1810, the royals commemorated the event with a public party where not a single drop of the liquid gold was spilled!

It wasn’t until 1819 that the horse races were replaced by beer vendors. Despite their initial prudence, you’ll still find doting monarchists today raising a stein in honor of the old lord and lady who made it all possible.

2. Munich beer only

Oktoberfest is, above all, a celebration of Bavarian traditions, so the only beer you’ll find during the festival is brewed within the city limits of Munich. Only beers that fit this criteria are considered Oktoberfest Beers.

3. No drinking without consent

You’d think that this behemoth of a beer celebration would be a bit of an anything goes affair, but you’d be wrong. Drinking at Oktoberfest can only commence when the master of ceremonies – the mayor of Munich – cracks open the first barrel of beer, proclaiming ‘O’ zapft is’ (‘It’s tapped!’).

4. It doesn’t start in October

What’s in a name? Not much, it seems, as this legendary autumn event doesn’t even start in October! Over the years there’s been a shift to an earlier, hopefully sunnier mid-September start, with the whole festival starting around the middle of September and finishing in early October, when 12 riflemen will sound a salute on the steps of the plainly named Bavaria Statue.

5. They’ve cancelled it 24 times

You can’t stop beer pouring! In 200 years, Oktoberfest has only been cancelled 24 times. The causes were mostly due to the war and cholera epidemics.

6. Beer prices start at €9.70 / £8 / $11

It’s the price for one liter of beer. Not for those looking for a low budget festival.

Tip: Beer can be bought in the tents from 10 am to 10:30 pm on weekdays, and from 9 am to 10:30 pm during the weekend.

7. The beer is specially brewed for Oktoberfest and it’s extra strong

One mug of beer here is equivalent to 8 shots of Schnapps. They’re specially brewed for the festival and they have at least 6% alcohol.

8. There are 14 large beer hall tents

The most famous one is Schottenhamel because it’s where the mayor taps the first keg and the biggest one is Hofbräu-Festhalle which seats almost 11,000 people.

9. There’s a wine tent

Besides 15 different types wine there’s also champagne and sparkling wine in the Weinzelt – wine tent.

10. The lost and found office is a proverbial treasure chest

Naturally for such a huge event, the Oktoberfest Lost and Found office is stuffed every year with thousands of abandoned goods, including passports, wallets, mobile phones, bags and rucksacks, and cameras – there also happen some more peculiar finds, such as wedding rings, hearing-aids, sets of false teeth, and even Segways.

11. It’s a kid-friendly zone

Over recent years, organizers for the festival have tried to steer away from the image of the world’s most popular watering hole to a more family-friendly extravaganza. The carnival aspect has always been a big deal at Oktoberfest, but now it’s bigger than ever, with a Ferris wheel, roller coasters, games and traditional Bavarian parades open to people of all ages, shapes and varying degrees of drunkenness.

12. Despite the international appeal, it’s still a surprisingly local affair

Only 19% of the visitors aren’t from Germany.

13. Einstein worked there

Albert Einstein, once worked as an electrician and helped to set up one of the beer tents in 1896.

14. Oktoberfest has its very own post office

They send around 130,000 postcards and gifts every year.

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.

Proverb

Mother’s day celebration in Germany takes place on the second Sunday of May. However, if this day happens to be the Pentecost (Pfingstsonntag) – the Christian festival for celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit (held on the 7^th Sunday following Easter) – then Mother’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May (a week earlier).

The history of Muttertag in Germany dates back to the Middle Ages. There was a Sunday in Thuringia (one of 16 federal states of Germany) when relatives used to visit and congratulate each other with spring. Spring was associated with the beginning of life, and women gave that life to humanity. Nobody worked, everybody went to their parents’ place, and mothers were blessed by their relatives on that day.

The year 1922 was the time when the Germans started to celebrate Mother’s Day for the first time, and in 1933 this occasion was declared an official holiday to be celebrated on the second Sunday of May.

From 1939 to 1945, Mother’s Day gained a remarkable position, where a tradition of giving The Cross of Honor of the German Mother was established. It was a state decoration conferred by the government of the German Reich in three classes: bronze, silver, and gold, to mothers who exhibited strong moral principles, exemplary motherhood, and who conceived and raised at least four or more children in the role of a parent. But this “golden era” of Mother’s Day did not last too long as by the end of the World War II Mother’s Day misplaced its Nazi elements, replaced by the more neutral elements of celebration by offering gifts, flowers and cards to mothers.

The way German people celebrate Mother’s Day is actually very similar to other countries. First of all, there are a lot of phone calls that German mothers receive from their children – as a form to express gratitude and adoration for their moms for the love and care given to them. There are a lot of colorful flowers that German mothers get on this day. Moreover, there are also white flowers sent to the graves of mothers who passed away, as well. Other forms of gifts are also chocolates, perfumes, cards, different surprising visits or traveling tickets and so forth.  It is also very common for some people to visit their parents and cook in their homes for their mothers.

Also known as Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday has been celebrated since the earliest days of the Christian Church.

It commemorates Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and the institution of the Lord’s Supper and established the ceremony known as the Eucharist. The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Holy Thursday is called Maundy Thursday from the old Latin name for the day, “Dies Mandatum,” i.e. “the day of the new commandment” referring to the command given by Christ at the Last Supper, that we should love one another, before he washed the feet of his disciples.

Preceding Good Friday, it also played a role in rural customs. A popular assumption is that it is called “green” Thursday because of the green vegetables, people eat on this Fastday, spinach being a favorite. In Germany, the tradition is to eat a big fresh salad, or anything green, like these amazing eggs in green Frankfurter sauce.

Oktoberfest is often associated with beer, but the festival’s traditions go beyond that. While the beer tents, of course, provide drinks, they also play only traditional Bavarian music. The original six Munich breweries still provide the beer. You can also catch people in traditional Bavarian clothing, dirndls and lederhosen.

Here are some Oktoberfest traditions that define the famous beer festival.

The Opening of the Oktoberfest

Since 1950, the Oktoberfest begins at noon on a Saturday in the second half of September with the ceremony of tapping the first keg. This is traditionally done by Munich’s Mayor (currently Dieter Reiter) at the oldest tent of the festival, the Schottenhamel tent. The Mayor gives his best to tap the keg with the fewest possible hits with a hammer, as he knows that next day’s headlines will be about how many he needed before exclaiming “O’zapft is!” (keg breached). The beer served at the Schottenhamel tent is Spaten-Franziskaner. A gun salute is fired in the air to the Bavaria statue. This tradition goes back many years and is a sign for the landlords in the other tents that they too can now begin to sell their beer.

Grand Entry of Landlords and Breweries

The ceremony at the Schottenhamel tent isn’t really the beginning of the traditional Oktoberfest ceremonies and festivities. About one hour before the “O’zapft is!”, the festival tent keepers and the breweries have their ceremony of taking over the Theresienwiese grounds where the festival will be held over the following two (and almost a half) weeks as part of the Grand Entry of Landlords and Breweries. A colorful procession of horse carriages and wagons decorated with flowers festively march down the Sonnenstrasse to the festival ground. The procession is led by the Münchner Kindl (coat of arms of Munich). This is traditionally followed by the mayor’s festival carriage. Behind this come the splendid carts of the landlords and breweries. Waitresses holding the beer mugs are also part of the parade, ready for two weeks of hard work to begin following the festive procession.

Oktoberfest Beers and Main Festival Tents

The beer served at the Oktoberfest can only come from six old traditional and Munich based breweries (the so-called “Big Six”). The breweries are: Augustiner, Paulaner, Spaten-Franziskaner, Löwenbräu, Hacker-Pschorr and Hofbräu. Each of the main Oktoberfest tents serves its own brand. The tents are often run by the same Munich based families for generations. The families often also run wirtshauses, restaurants and beer gardens throughout Munich. Below is a list with the breweries and the main tents where it is served:

Augustiner: Augustiner-Festhalle, Fischer-Vroni
Paulaner: Armbrustschützenzelt, Winzerer Fähndl, Käfer’s Wies’n
SchänkeSpaten-Franziskaner: Marstall, Schottenhamel, Ochsenbraterei
Löwenbräu: Schützen-Festzelt, Löwenbräu-Festhalle
Hacker-Pschorr: Hacker-Festzelt, Pschorr-Bräurosl
Hofbräu: Hofbräu Festzelt

Trachten- und Schützenzug (Historical Costume and Riflemen – Shooting Club – Parade)

The highlight of the first Sunday of the festival is another colourful festive parade through Munich and to the festival grounds of the Theresienwiese, theTrachten- und Schützenzug (Historical Costume and Riflemen Parade). Some 9,500 people take part in the costumed parade with horse carriages and by foot, accompanied by brass orchestras and bands. The parade begins at 10am. Participants aren’t limited to Munichers and guests from other parts of Germany, guests in historical costumes come from all parts of Europe, such as from Austria, Italy, Croatia, Switzerland and Poland. They alternate in colourful sequences with sports and mountain troops, marching bands, historic costume groups, fanfare blowers and flag throwers. The route of the parade goes from the Maximilianeum through the city along the Maximilianstraße, the Residenzstraße to the Opera and further to the Odeonsplatz, where the parade halts to be greeted by the Prime Minister of the Free State of Bavaria and the Mayor). The parade then continues along the Briennerstraße to the Maximiliansplatz, Lenbachplatz, Karlsplatz (Stachus), Sonnenstraße, Schwanthalerstraße, Paul-Heyse-Straße, Kaiser-Ludwig-Platz until it finally reaches the Theresienwiese. The costume parade was held for the first time in 1835, to honour the silver wedding anniversary of King Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria, and since 1950 it has been held regularly and has become an event that is broadcast on live television.

Family Days

If you are planning to visit the many attractions of the Oktoberfest with children, the best days to do this are the Tuesdays which are traditionally family-days at the festival. Most of the rides and attractions are available for half of the regular price. The Family Days at the festival last from noon until 6pm.

Traditional Oktoberfest Souvenirs

Felt hats, beer mugs and gingerbread hearts are the most traditional Oktoberfest souvenirs. The Oktoberfest beer mug is redesigned every year and is a real collector’s item and popular souvenir. The classic design is already more than 100 years old. The printed motif is new every year – namely the respective Oktoberfest poster for that year. The mug is available at most souvenir stalls. In addition, many landlords sell their own beer mugs with Oktoberfest motifs in their tents. Gingerbread hearts and felt hats are available everywhere at the festival.

The Closing of the Oktoberfest – Gun Salute

Just as the opening of the festival, the closing also has a traditional ceremony – the Gun Salute. On the last day of the Oktoberfest, the traditional gun salute takes place at noon at the Bavaria statue. Every year the shooting kings of the Oktoberfest shooting competition are crowned here and this is celebrated with a salute. So, just as the Oktoberfest begins with the traditional twelve gun salute after the keg has been tapped, it ends in typical Bavarian fashion with brass bands and lots of saluting guns.

Photos via https://goo.gl/iVMNf1.

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Oktoberfest in Germany
German Beer – the Absolutely German Drink
Oktoberfest…The Fest Of Times

Pentecost is a religious holiday in Germany to mark the Holy Spirit’s descent on Jesus’ followers. Many local and regional customs are also associated with Pentecost Sunday, which is also known as Whitsunday.

The dove often symbolizes the Holy Spirit, who is believed to have descended on to Jesus’ followers. Pentecost marks this occasion.

Many Christians attend a special church service at Pentecost. Spring fun fairs are held on the long Pentecost weekend in many areas of Germany. There are many local customs that go back to pre-Christian times. Birch trees are decorated with large wreaths (Pfingstbaumpflanzen) in parts of the state of Lower Saxony. Birch trees are just coming into leaf at this time of year and symbolize the fertile spring and summer seasons. Young men in rural areas may attach a birch sprig to the wall beneath an unmarried woman’s window. This fertility rite can be traced back thousands of years.

Large wreaths (Pfingstenkranz) are erected in two squares in the town of Oelde in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Each wreath consists of three poles wrapped in greenery and joined at the top to make a structure about nine meters (30 feet) high. People dance around the decoration and sing traditional songs.

The cattle were traditionally in stables and fields near villages in rural areas during winter and early spring. They were taken to fields further away from the villages, often high in the mountains, at Pentecost. The strongest animals were decorated with flowers and plants and led the procession. The custom of decorating prize cattle and leading them through the streets is still alive in some rural areas, particularly in southern Germany’s mountainous areas.

Public life in Germany on Pentecost is similar to that on Sundays. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed. However, some tourist stores may be open and stores at railway stations, airports and along highways are usually open. There are some restrictions on selling alcohol, public performances and dancing. Public transport services usually run to the normal Sunday timetable, but there may be some local variations.

Easter Monday (Ostermontag) is an annual public holiday in Germany that follows Easter Sunday, which remembers Jesus Christ’s resurrection, according to Christian belief. It is observed with various local customs. These include early morning candle-lit parades, walks in the countryside and egg races.

Egg races (Eierlauf) are held in some villages. The customs on egg races vary. Some are children’s events where children race with eggs (or potatoes) on spoons. The children run to the finish line as quickly as possible with the egg still on the spoon. Other events are for young men to prove their readiness to marry. These eggs are rolled down hills and the men chase after them. The winner is the man who gets to the bottom of the hill first.

People in some areas, especially southern Germany, go out for a candle-lit parade (Emmausgang) early in the morning to remember the walks that Jesus made after his crucifixion and resurrection. The parades end with a church service. People who do not join the parade may travel to the countryside for a walk and to enjoy the spring surroundings later in the day. Processions or walks through fields of winter crops may be held in rural areas to mark the symbolic end of the winter and the start of the spring.

Easter Monday is a public holiday in all German states. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed. However, some tourist stores may be open and stores at railway stations, airports and along highways are usually open. There are some restrictions on selling alcohol, public performances and dancing. Public transport services may run as usual, a reduced service or no service depending on where one lives or wants to travel.