Gimmeldinger Almond Blossom Festival
The Gimmeldinger Almond Blossom Festival takes place every spring in the wine-growing village of Gimmeldingen , which is now part of the Palatinate town of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse ( Rhineland-Palatinate ). Despite its name, the two-day almond blossom festival is considered a wine festival ; if the date is early March, it will be the first in Germany during the course of the year.
requirements
Because of the mild climate, not only wine thrives in the Vorderpfalz between the Rhine and Haardt , almonds , chestnuts , figs , kiwis and citrus fruits also grow here in the open air . In the past, almond trees were preferred to be planted in the vineyards , today they are also found along local and country roads. The early almond blossom - usually several weeks before the leaves of the trees - appear above all Gimmeldingen, which is 150 m above sea level. NHN is located in the middle of the vine hills on the German Wine Route and whose narrow streets are lined with countless almond trees, mostly from the beginning of March in a sea of pale pink flowers. Then the almond blossom festival is celebrated over a weekend, the largest festival in town and one of the largest in the region. Every year it attracts thousands of people who want to celebrate the awakening of nature after winter in wine taverns and wineries with Palatinate wine and culinary specialties .
history
The origins of the Almond Blossom Festival go back to 1934, when it was first celebrated on April 15th. At that time, the National Socialist rulers tried to improve the German winegrowers' market opportunities with various measures - one of which was the creation of the German Wine Route . The sequence of the festival was briefly interrupted during the Second World War, but the 75th anniversary was celebrated in 2009.
For the first time in 1950 an almond blossom queen was elected to start the festivities ; their choice now takes place a few weeks before the almond blossom festival. The almond blossom queen and the almond blossom princess elected on the same day represent the place for one year at festivals and official occasions. It has now become common for the almond blossom princess to become the new almond blossom queen in the following year.
Towards the end of the 20th century, circular routes were set up, which on the one hand enable visitors to walk under blooming almond trees and on the other hand to view the most visually appealing points: On the western and northwestern edge of Gimmeldingen, the almond blossom panorama path leads over Haberackerstraße, Fürstenweg and the local wine trail to the König-Ludwig-Pavillon in Neubergstraße, the almond blossom educational trail from the northern exit towards Hildenbrandseck and Königsbach . During the Almond Blossom Festival, guided tours take place on both trails, which are part of the later Palatinate Almond Trail from Schweigen-Rechtenbach to Bad Dürkheim .
procedure
On Saturday at 2 p.m. the opening ceremony begins on the square by the Protestant church . With the participation of local associations, such as the traditional costume group , the Mandelblüten-Express brass band and the choral society 1845 , the new almond blossom queen and her princess are introduced to the guests. Fairground rides and fairground stalls appeal primarily to children, catering is initially provided in the nearby Meerspinnhalle , which is named after the most famous Gimmeldingen vineyard , and in the König-Ludwig-Pavilion.
On Sundays, after the festive service (10 a.m.) from 11 a.m. on the church square, in bad weather in the Meerspinnhalle, the traditional morning pint of the volunteer fire brigade takes place. The almond blossom queen and her princess roam the town on both days, which has retained its village character even decades after it was incorporated.
On both days of the festival, the party continues well into the night, outdoors, in the sea spinning hall and in the numerous wineries and wine bars. During this time, Gimmeldingen is closed to individual traffic with motor vehicles, visitors are directed to parking spaces outside. DB Regio Mitte is using additional trains between Neustadt Hbf. And Grünstadt , scheduled trains run with increased capacity. The festival can be easily reached on foot from Mußbach train station , which is near the eastern border of Gimmeldingen. On Sundays, the BRN shuttle buses run every 20 minutes from Neustadt Hbf. To all regular stops as well as additional stops at large parking lots.
Fixed dates and representatives
The festival date coincides with the approximate peak of the almond blossom on the Wine Route and is in April at the latest; it depends on the onset of almond blossom and can therefore shift from year to year. Sometimes the festival committee cannot avoid setting the date at short notice due to the weather. By means of a webcam , which is directed towards the almond tree avenue on Neuberg in the northwest of Gimmeldingen, non-residents can find out about the progress of the almond blossom.
| Almond blossom festival | Almond blossom queen | Almond blossom princess | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cancellation due to the coronavirus epidemic | Luisa Klohr | Lina-Marie Keller |
| 2019 | 23/24 March | Ronja Hettinger | Luisa Klohr |
| 2018 | 24./25. March | Eva Niederhöfer | Ronja Hettinger |
| 2017 | 25./26. March | Paula Albrecht | Eva Niederhöfer |
| 2016 | 18.-20. March | Katharina Schupp | Paula Albrecht |
| 2015 | 21./22. March | Alessa Leydecker | Katharina Schupp |
| 2014 | 15./16. March | Fenja Neubauer | Alessa Leydecker |
| 2013 | 13./14. April | Laura Jung | Fenja Neubauer |
| 2012 | 24./25. March | Dorothea Neuwald | Laura Jung |
| 2011 | 19./20. March | Sarah Julino | Dorothea Neuwald |
| 2010 | 10/11 April | Nicole Hahn | Sarah Julino |
| 2009 | 4th / 5th April | Maria Grill | Nicole Hahn |
| 2008 | 15./16. March | Susanne Sander | Maria Grill |
| 2007 | 10/11 March | Simone Reiss | Susanne Sander |
| 2006 | 22./23. April | Aurelia Laubscher | Simone Reiss |
| 2005 | 2nd / 3rd April | Anna Schmidt | Aurelia Laubscher |
| 2004 | 20./21. March | Sabine Ferckel | Anna Schmidt |
| 2003 | 22./23. March | Jessica Seuffert | Sabine Ferckel |
| 2002 | 16./17. March | Nina Schlieper | Jessica Seuffert |
| 2001 | 17./18. March | Miriam Reiss | Nina Schlieper |
| 2000 | 18./19. March | Nina Hahn | Miriam Reiss |
| 1999 | 6./7. March | Clarissa Fischer | Nina Hahn |
| 1998 | 9/10 March | Nina Kühner | Clarissa Fischer |
| 1997 | Katrin Reber | Nina Kühner | |
| 1996 | Catherina Fischer | Katrin Reber | |
| 1995 | Patricia Kurz | Catherina Fischer | |
| 1994 | Ira Estelmann | Patricia Kurz | |
| 1993 | Daniela Reber | Ira Estelmann | |
| 1992 | Susanne Hauck | Daniela Reber | |
| 1991 | Anja Estelmann | Susanne Hauck | |
| 1990 | Nicole Fanelsa | Anja Estelmann | |
| 1989 | Susanne Mugler | Nicole Fanelsa | |
| 1988 | Conny Estelmann | Susanne Mugler | |
| 1987 | Christina Hauck | Conny Estelmann | |
| 1986 | Liane Ohler | Christina Hauck | |
| 1985 | Uschi Fanelsa | Liane Ohler | |
| 1984 | Kerstin Elsholz | Uschi Fanelsa | |
| 1983 | Elke Wiedemann | Kerstin Elsholz | |
| 1982 | Karin Reiss | Elke Wiedemann | |
| 1981 | Margot Ferckel | ||
| 1980 | Ilona Reber | ||
| 1979 | Sabine Nicolai | ||
| 1978 | Heike Dürrschnabel | ||
| 1977 | Eva Weber | ||
| 1976 | Gundula circle | ||
| 1975 | Iris Reber | ||
| 1974 | Brigitte Lorenz | ||
| 1973 | Sabine Nagel | ||
| 1972 | Ute priest | ||
| 1971 | Elvira Worms | ||
| 1970 | Monika Brieskorn | ||
| 1969 | Inge Schöpsdau | ||
| 1968 | Edeltraud Hammel, later Kuppke | ||
| 1967 | Michaela Weber | ||
| 1966 | Brunhilde King | ||
| 1965 | Ursel Mechtersheimer | ||
| 1964 | Annerose Thieme | ||
| 1963 | Christel Schöpsdau | ||
| 1962 | Hildegard Meng | ||
| 1961 | Inge Reiss | ||
| 1960 | Lilli Staab | ||
| 1959 | Anni Seng | ||
| 1958 | Sabine Brieskorn | ||
| 1957 | Jutta Meckes | ||
| 1956 | Margot Kiefer | ||
| 1955 | Friedel Hein | ||
| 1954 | Sigrid Kistowski | ||
| 1953 | Marlene Mueller | ||
| 1952 | Maria Buchert | ||
| 1951 | Bärbel Wodzack | ||
| 1950 | Sieglinde Eisemann | ||
Picture gallery
Almond blossom queen and princess (2017)
Almond blossom trail
Almond Allee on Neuberg
Folk festival atmosphere
View of the Rhine plain
Similar festivals
Connections are maintained with the French community of Mittelwihr in Upper Alsace , which also celebrates an almond blossom festival. The Great Blossom Festival in the southern Palatinate community of Gleiszellen-Gleishorbach is also particularly concerned with the almond blossom.
Web links
- Gimmeldinger Almond Blossom Festival: Official website
- City of Neustadt: Gimmeldingen
- Almond blossom in the Palatinate: pink weeks
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Spring wine festivals , neustadt.eu, accessed on April 14, 2018.
- ^ Ain (author's abbreviation): Emperor Karl and the almond tree . In: The Rheinpfalz , Mittelhaardter Rundschau . Ludwigshafen March 18, 2014, p. 14 .
- ↑ a b Spring leaves its pink ribbon… In: Die Rheinpfalz , LEO leisure magazine . Ludwigshafen March 8, 2012.
- ↑ Almond blossom festival in Gimmeldingen - webcam. gimmeldingen.de, accessed on March 24, 2017 .
- ↑ Almond blossom festival in Neustadt-Gimmeldingen canceled due to coronavirus on swr.de from March 4, 2020 (planned March 14/15)
- ↑ Mittelwihr. ribeauville-riquewihr.com, accessed March 9, 2014 .
- ↑ Almond blossom. deutsche-staedte.de, archived from the original on August 27, 2011 ; accessed on March 9, 2014 .