Gäubodenvolksfest

The Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing is one of the largest Volksfests (beer festival and travelling funfair) in the German state of Bavaria.^[1] It is an annual event, spanning eleven days mid-August.

History

The Gäubodenvolksfest was founded in the year 1812 by Maximilian I Joseph, King of Bavaria, as an agricultural festival to foster an annual gathering of the people in the Danube region.

The festival went on hiatus in 1915–1918, 1940–1945, and 2020–2021.

Description

The Gäubodenvolksfest is a modern and family-friendly festival with several attractions, including carousels and roller coasters. There are also several large beer tents that span a 100,000 m² area. The event has maintained the historic character of Bavarian festivals, and attracts approximately 1.4 million visitors every year. Many visitors wear traditional Bavarian clothing (Tracht) for the occasion.

The festival combines Bavarian tradition with progress and vitality. It is one of Bavaria's oldest and most popular festivals and it has increased to one of the biggest events in Germany. Beer plays a central role in the fair. The beer is specially brewed, and only breweries from Straubing or the district Straubing-Bogen are allowed to serve beer there.

On the first day of the festival there is a "Bierprobe", which means "beer tasting," followed by a parade consisting of people wearing Bavarian native attire walking on foot, riding horses, or in horse carriages.

On the second day there is the official opening with a representative of the Bavarian or German government.

The festival is held every year in the middle of August and lasts 11 days. The festival is celebrated by the whole city as a "fifth season", and many companies are closed down during this time.

Combined with the Gäubodenvolksfest is the Ostbayernschau, the biggest trade show of eastern Bavaria.^[2]

Statistics (2017)

Number of visitors: 1.35 million
Beer: 730,000 litre
Breweries: 7 with 26,400 seats
Length: 2,500 metres
Price of a one-liter mug of beer (Maß): €9,15

Main Attractions/Festival Events

Olympia Looping (appears once every two or three years)
Star World (appears once every two or three years)
Wilde Maus
Feuer und Eis (Fire and Ice)
Free fall tower
Chairoplane
Bumper cars
Transformer
Bavarian Big Wheel
Whitewater channel
Horse riding
Children and family friendly carousels
Revues and shows
Bavarian and international food and beverages
A parade with Bavarian and international folklore and beer carriages
A romantic parade with boats, swimmers, and torches on the Danube
A boxing match and other sport events
Two fireworks displays
The beer tents with Bavarian folk music and mood music

Dates of Previous/ Upcoming Events

2020: 7 to 17 August (not held, COVID-19 pandemic)
2021: 13 to 23 August (not held)
2022: 12 to 22 August
2023: 11 to 21 August
2024: 9 to 19 August

Beer tents

Weckmann

Brewery:, Röhrl Straubing

Krönner

Brewery: Irlbacher, Irlbach

Lechner

Brewery: Irlbacher, Irlbach

Nothaft

Brewery: Karmeliten, Straubing

Reisinger

Brewery: Arcobräu, Moos

Wenisch

Brewery: Erl-Bräu, Geiselhöring

Greindl

Brewery: Karmeliten, Straubing

References

^ "Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing", bavaria.us, downloaded 11 December 2014.
^ "Ostbayernschau", ausstellungsgmbh.de, downloaded 11 December 2014.

External links

48°53′02″N 12°33′51″E / 48.88389°N 12.56417°E / 48.88389; 12.56417

[1] "Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing", bavaria.us, downloaded 11 December 2014.

[2] "Ostbayernschau", ausstellungsgmbh.de, downloaded 11 December 2014.

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