Stuttgart Beer Festival
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Stuttgart Festival (Cannstatter Volksfest/Cannstatter Wasen in German) is an annual two-week festival in Stuttgart, Germany.
Usually it takes place from the end of September to the beginning of October on an area called the "Cannstatter Wasen". The extensive Wasen area is located in the Stuttgart city district of Bad Cannstatt, near the river Neckar. On the Wasen area, also the Stuttgart Spring Festival (a smaller variant of the Stuttgart Festival) is held each year.
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[edit] Data and facts
The Stuttgart Festival is often considered to be the second largest beer festival of Europe, only behind the Munich Oktoberfest. According to estimates by the organizers, about 3.5 million people visited the festival in 2004. The "Wasen" begins one week later than the Munich Oktoberfest. Most generally find it less crowded than Oktoberfest. It is also usually easier to get a place at a table in a tent.
[edit] History
The Bad Cannstatter Volksfest (Cannstatter Festival) has its origins in an annual agricultural trade fair. The first official festival took place in 1818 to celebrate the opening of what is now the University of Hohenheim, which was founded to optimize harvests and is now the oldest remaining university with an emphasis on agriculture. From its beginnings the festival was a tremendous success with more than 30,000 participants attending in the first year alone. Over the years, the Cannstatter Wasen grew larger and gained regional significance. During the 19th century the celebration lasted only one, later three, then four and five days in the 1920s. At the start of the 1950s the festival was extended to ten, then twelve, and finally 16 days since 1972. First there were only a few festival stands (with entertainers and beer tents), but by 1860 the arrangement of three main streets and numerous side streets, as it is still organized today, was introduced to handle the ever-increasing number of visitors.
[edit] Beer tents
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 their beer:
- Schwaben Bräu tent of Alexander Laub, remodeled in 2006 and now offering room for about 5200 people
- Stuttgarter Hofbräu tent of Hans-Peter Grandl, room for 5000
- Dinkelacker tent of Dieter and Werner Klauss seating 4500 visitors
- Fürstenberg tent
- From 2000 to 2004, Walter Weitmann organized a tent with about 5000 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 2800) run by Peter Brandl replaced Weitmann's.
- Festzelt Göckelesmaier established in 1938 as Maiers Karle, renamed because of the fried chicken (Swabian: Göckele) served there; seats 2500, also serves Stuttgarter Hofbräu beer
- Festzelt Wasenwirt: room for 2200, Stuttgarter Hofbräu
- Arcadia Erlebniszelt established in 2005; 1800 seats, an artificial waterfall and Dinkelacker brew
The tents of Laub, Grandl and Klauss are placed in front of the "Fruchtsäule" (literally "fruit column", a symbolic representation of the origins of the festival) since 1982. They take turns in hosting the opening ceremony. The price for a Maß is usually the same in all tents (7,40€ as of 2006).
[edit] Attractions
Large attractions are the carney booths and roundabouts between the fixed tents. In 2004, Volksfest-boss Karl Kuebler selected 333 attractions out of 1,054 applications. One of the largest attractions of the Cannstatter Volksfest is the world's largest mobile Ferris wheel with 60 meters in diameter.
[edit] Fruit column
Symbolic of the Cannstatter Wasen is the fruit column, a wooden column decorated with fruit, 26 meters high and weighing 3.5 tons. However, it may be hidden behind numerous roundabouts today. After World War I, with the beginning of the Weimar Republic, the fruit column was banished from the Cannstatter Wasen as it was considered a relic of the monarchy. Since 1935, the 100th anniversary, it's back in its traditional place. The fruit column, the design of which changed in the course of the years, was annually dismantled after the Volksfest until recently. Every few years, a new fruit column with a new design is established. Starting in 1995 it was left in place all year and was thus also to be seen on the Stuttgart spring celebration for the first time. In the last years only the tip has been dismantled while the underbody, in which some information stands are located and which carries the Cannstatter city jug during the spring celebration is left untouched.
[edit] Attractions
Altogether 54 roundabouts in 2004, e.g.
- 60-Meter-Ferris wheel (biggest mobile Ferris wheel in the world)
- 47-Meter-Ferris wheel
- Alpina roller coaster
- free fall "Powertower", Height 66 meters
- Imperator (weight: 350 t)
- wild water coaster
- Wild mouse
- Airwulf roundabout
- Transformer roundabout
- Turboforce roundabout
- indoor roller coaster "Black Hole"
- Boosters revolution
as well as 73 other stands, such as shooting galleries and raffle booths, 95 food stands, etc., as well as a chandler's market with 60 market stalls and a boxing show.
[edit] French Village
The French village belongs inseparably to the Cannstatter Volksfest. In 2004, there were 33 food stands, where the visitors can enjoy French meals and beverages along with national music.
[edit] Parade
Traditionally a parade takes place at the Wasen - nowadays on the first Sunday of the Volksfest. The record number of 300,000 spectators between Stuttgart Palace Square and the Wasen Site was reached in 1954.
[edit] Fireworks
On the 3rd of October, the day of the German Reunification is celebrated with fireworks. This national holiday gives the visitors an extra day for celebration.
[edit] Agriculture exhibition
Every three years an agricultural exhibition is included in the main celebration. This was the original Cannstatter Wasen Volksfest. Unlike the Volksfest, the exhibition costs an entrance fee.
[edit] Open hours
Food stands, fixed tents, as well as roundabouts are open Sundays to Fridays between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. On Saturdays and before the holiday the Volksfest is open until 11.30 p.m., however the music stops at 11 p.m.
