Göppingen May Day
The Göppingen May Day is a nationally known folk festival that takes place annually in May or June around the EWS Arena (formerly Hohenstaufenhalle) in Göppingen . The name of the festival is derived from blossoming tree branches, which were called Maien in the southern German dialect , which in turn is called that because of the month of May . Göppingen May Day always lasts from Friday to Monday. The exact date is set every year by the Göppingen municipal council. Care is taken to ensure that it does not take place during the school holidays, at the same time as the Cannstatter Spring Festival or on a public holiday (e.g. Whitsun).
May Day is traditionally started with a parade of the Göppingen schools and clubs on Saturday morning through Göppingen city center. The move ends with a historical part. Several carriages represent the history of Göppingen and students wear historical costumes, e.g. B. from the Roman or Staufer period. At the beginning of the parade, school classes satirically take up current topics, similar to a carnival parade, with various music clubs playing in between. Although Göppingen May Day is a relatively small folk festival, there is an amusement park that is quite considerable for the size of the festival.
The festival lasts until midnight on weekends.
May Day took place for the first time on August 11, 1650 as a festival of thanks to celebrate the end of the Thirty Years' War. Except for a few years in times of war and emergency, May Day took place every year. The last time it was not hosted from 1940 to 1946. For many years it has ended with fireworks on Monday evening. On June 11, 2016 , the parade did not take place due to rain.
photos
The amusement park on May Day 2007. In the foreground the Hohenstaufenhalle (today: EWS Arena)
The marquee on May Day 2007
Reusch district from the ferris wheel
The residential area in the immediate vicinity of the fairground, photographed from the ferris wheel
Web links
Coordinates: 48 ° 42 ′ 39 " N , 9 ° 38 ′ 48" E