Bachtle Festival

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The Bächtlefest is a traditional school and local festival in Bad Saulgau that is celebrated two weeks before the start of the summer holidays . After the Ravensburger Rutenfest and the Biberacher Schützenfest, it is the third largest children's and local festival in Upper Swabia and its origins go back to the 16th century.

Origin of name and history

In 1534 the Bächtle Festival was first mentioned in a document. It is documented for the first time in 1612 that Bechtelin's day was celebrated on January 2nd in Saulgau. The Bechtilin day - also called Bechtletag, Bechtle or Bächtle - is a day in honor of the goddess Berchta (the shining, the shining) in the Alemannic language area, on which the children were given presents. The name was not changed even after the Thirty Years War , when the feast day was set on March 12th, Gregoritag ( St. Gregory , patron saint of school children). The calendar closeness to Carnival leads to the assumption that the name of the goddess Berchta is also in the terms Perchta or Perchten, which is associated with dressing up, wearing masks and other customs.

The Bächtle Festival has been held in summer since the 19th century. It is undisputed that children were and are always the focus of the Bächtle Festival. The forms of the festival have changed over the centuries. For 40 years, a citizens' committee has been organizing today's five-day festival.

Fixed course

The Bächtlefest takes place on a long weekend two weeks before the summer holidays. A citizens' committee organizes the five festive days from Thursday to Monday in cooperation with the city of Bad Saulgau and many voluntary helpers.

Traditionally, the festival begins on Thursday evening with the mayor tapping the keg. The historical dance group with minstrels and the historical drummer corps of the Störck high school enrich the festival with several performances. A firecracker and bells end the festive season on Monday at 6 p.m. sharp. During the festive season, a festival area with an amusement park and beer tents is set up on the fairground.

The highlights of the Bächtle Festival are:

  • traditional tapping of the keg on Thursday with the mayor, the citizens' committee president and the town music
  • the musical evening on Friday evening and the repetition on Saturday: 400 children and young people from Bad Saulgau schools, art schools and clubs present a full-length show that has a new theme every year
  • the historic farmers and craft market on Saturday in the Bad Saulgau old town
  • Serenade in the Oberschwabenstadion followed by fireworks on Saturday evening
  • Festival service on Sunday morning, which takes place on the market square when the weather is good
  • Eagle shooting at the break-maker school and game competitions for children in the Oberschwabenstadion
  • Historical dance group with minstrels and the drummer corps in the former Oberamteihof on Sunday evening
  • Historical parade on Monday morning with around 3000 participants, over 250 horses and numerous music bands from the region. a. the history of the city is represented.

The SWR reported several times as part of the program Treffpunkt about the Bächtlefest (most recently in summer 2007).

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