Gäubodenvolksfest

The Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing is the second largest genuine folk festival in Bavaria, Germany, after the Munich Oktoberfest.

History

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

Description

The Gäubodenvolksfest is a modern and family friendly festival with about 120 carousels, roller coasters and seven big beer tents with 24.000 seats at an area of about 90.000 m²., but it has upheld its traditional character. Many of the about 1.2 million visitors wear Bavarian costume ("Trachten").

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. 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", that means "trying of the beer" and a parade with 2,000 participants in native cloths on foot, on horses or 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 fair trade of eastern Bavaria.

Statistics (2007)

* Number of visitors: 1.2 millions
* Beer: 700,000 litre
* Breweries: 5
* Length: 2,500 metres
* Price of a Maß: 6,45 €

Attractions

* [http://www.olympia-looping.de Olympia Looping] - The biggest moveable roller coaster of the world with five loopings - every two or three years
* Star World - The biggest movable Indoor roller coaster of the world - every two or three years
* Wilde Maus - a family roller coaster
* Feuer und Eis (Fire and Ice) - a powered roller coaster
* Free fall tower - not every year
* Chairoplane
* Bumper car
* Transformer - a great carousel - not every year
* 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 next events

* 2007: August 10 to August 20
* 2008: August 8 to August 18
* 2009: August 7 to August 17

Beer tents

;BeckBrewery: Erl-Bräu, Geiselhöring

;KrönnerBrewery: Irlbacher, Irlbach

;Lechner;Brewery: Irlbacher, Irlbach

;NothaftBrewery: Karmeliten, Straubing

;ReisingerBrewery: Arcobräu, Moos

;Sommer / SchötzBrewery: Röhrl, Straubing

;WenischBrewery: Röhrl, Straubing

External links

* [http://www.ausstellungsgmbh.de/index.cfm?lang=de&site_id=229 Official Website of the Gäubodenvolksfest]
* [http://www.ausstellungsgmbh.de/index.cfm?section=0&site_id=280&news_id=41 Information in English about Gäubodenvolksfest]
* [http://www.volksfest-straubing.de A lot of pictures about the people, the fun, the beer tents, the nice atmosphere, the ostbayernschau-fair, the rides and so on ... ]
* [http://www.gaeubodenvolksfest.de gäubodenvolksfest.de]
* [http://www.bayerischer-wald-ferien.de/bilder-bayern-fotos/gaeuboden-volksfest-straubing-niederbayern.html Photos Gäubodenvolksfest]
* [http://www.lechners-schmankerlzelt.de Lechners Schmankerlzelt]
* [http://www.wenisch-straubing.de Wenisch]
* [http://www.landgasthof-reisinger.de/ Reisinger]
* [http://www.kroenner.de Krönner]
* [http://www.wittelsbach.org/festz.html Ochsenbraterei Beck]
* [http://www.nothaft-festzelt.de Nothaft]
* [http://www.roehrlbraeu.de Röhrlbräu]