From the moment I came to live in Erlangen I was given notice that I would be around for the big Bergkirchweih festival. Within two days of my arrival I had heard of the festival three times. Considering it was only mid-March, I was amazed that this beginning of June festival was so prominent in people's minds.
Well, Bergkirchweih has come and the town is bustling with festival fever. Buses have "Bergkirchweih" plastered on their destination signs. Swarms of people are snaking down the main street sidewalks towards the "Berg" (means mountain, but it is really just a hill) where the festival is taking place. Men and women are seen wearing Lederhosen (leather pants), and women are dolled up in traditional Bavarian dresses. Everyone is so excited and enthusiastic.
Up at the festival, the once empty rows of wooden benches are covered in bodies with not a bare spot in sight. At the heart of the festival is the opening of the multiple beer cellars located in the hill which are operated by local breweries. Interspersed among the beer drinking merry-makers are stages where bands perform semi-decently. Apparently, drunk people don't require good music to be entertained.
In addition to big liter mugs of beer, there are huge pretzels, wurst on bread, cotton candy, and gingerbread hearts being sold in a frenzy. Since this festival is an affair for all ages, there are shooting games for prizes and rides, including a really tall ferris wheel. When I first saw the ferris wheel from a street paralleling the festival, I was struck with awe at how they managed to put it up on the hill where I thought there were way too many trees for such a monstrous structure.
So, do I now understand what all the fuss for this festival was about? Um, not really. But, I have an idea. I suppose it is a little something like how as a child I always looked forward to my city's "Founder"s Day Festival" which consisted of a parade, tents selling crafts, and festival food like Elephant Ears. A big reason I loved the festival was because it was a tradition, and not because it was really that interesting. These breweries here have been opening up their cellars in a Springtime festival for 250 years, and to Erlangers it is a happy tradition.
Apparently, as I heard it, the festival used to be only a few days long, but Erlangers wanted to keep partying, so the number of days kept extending until it was finally officially cut off at 12 days. The festival dates coincide with the two week Pfingsten Holiday when school children don't have school, which means even more people are available daily to turn out for the festivities.
In the photo you can see the key aspects of this festival: Bavarian outfits, 1 liter mugs of beer, carnival rides, and lots of people! (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)
I see you captured all the key elements of the festival in your picture, just as you said. I am also glad you said to click on the picture to enlarge it, so we could see the details of the picture better. I didn't know you could do that with these pictures. Cool. Have you taken a ride on the ferris wheel yet? Looks like a tall one. Fun. I can imagine a good view of the surrounding countryside from the top.
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