Rosenheim Autumn Festival
The Rosenheim Autumn Festival (also known locally as Wiesn because it takes place on the Rosenheim Loreto Meadow) is the largest folk festival in southeast Upper Bavaria (over a million visitors annually) and is organized every year by the Rosenheim Economic Association . It always begins on the last Saturday in August with the traditional tapping in the two festival tents and lasts 16 days.
history
The Rosenheim Autumn Festival developed from an agricultural exhibition that takes place every five years. In 1861 this exhibition was enriched by attractions such as a shooting festival and a singing competition and thus became a festival in the true sense of the word. In the following years, the festival continued to grow, which was also due to the fact that Rosenheim wanted to present itself as a "beer town". In the 1890s, Rosenheim had eleven breweries with a population of around 10,000 people, and over 400 hectoliters of beer were already being produced.
The venue was always the Loreto Meadow, which used to be a free piece of meadow at the gates of Rosenheim. It was already the scene of fairs, popular amusements and public executions in the Middle Ages. Meanwhile paved, the Loretowiese is mainly used as a parking lot due to its central location, but also as an exhibition center, e.g. for the New Rosenheim Exhibition Center .
The folk festival did not always take place regularly. In 1873 cholera spread in the Rosenheim district, which led to the autumn festival being canceled , as it did in the war years of the First World War (1914 to 1918). The folk festival did not return until 1925, at which two large beer tents (Flötzinger and Auer-Bräu), a wine tent and 19 showmen were now represented.
In the post-war years from 1946 to 1949, the Association of Bavarian Showmen organized annual spring festivals on the Loreto Meadow until the Business Association Rosenheim became the organizer and shortly afterwards renamed the folk festival the “Rosenheim Autumn Festival”.
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary in 2011, the autumn festival opened one day earlier, on Friday evening, August 26th, 2011.
The official appearance of the Rosenheim Autumn Festival is the illustrative half-length figure of a singing drummer in costume.
In 2020 the autumn festival will be canceled for the first time since 1945 due to the corona virus.
The tents
The Auer-Bräu festival hall
The festival hall, which is called Inntalhalle outside the autumn festival period , is a large event hall with a balcony. During the autumn festival, a small tent is added to the north side, in which the traditional ox roast has been located since 1981. At Auer Bräu, it is mainly the younger, party-loving crowd, as the Inntalhalle is structurally more noisy. The host of the Auer-Bräu-Halle is "INN Gastro GmbH". Since 1968 the band "Die Karolinenfelder" (conductor: Karl Beinhofer) has been playing in the Auerbräu-Festhalle every day from 3 pm. Changing music groups perform at lunchtime. The tent offers a total of 7,000 seats, including 4,000 in the hall, 1,000 in the ox roast and 2,000 in the garden and the balconies. In addition to the music, there has been a small standing area for several years.
The Flötzinger Bräu festival tent
The tent of the last private brewery in Rosenheim (Steegmüller family) is the largest free-standing of its kind in Europe. It is characterized by its elaborate decoration with traditional wreaths and picture boards. In 2006, the roof over the balcony was redesigned into a so-called convertible roof , which can be opened by remote control if necessary, thus ensuring better air circulation in the tent and giving visitors a clear view of the sky. Special children's plates and changing musical entertainment at lunchtime have also been introduced. Since 1950 the evening band has been the "Dreder Musi" (director: Roland Merk). The host of the Flötzinger tent is Manfred Kirner. The marquee including the garden has a total capacity of 9500 seats.
Both beer tents can now offer their guests enough space in their beer gardens when the weather is nice. The traditional Märzenbier , which has a higher alcohol and original wort content and therefore also has its golden-brown color, is poured in glass mugs .
To the Tatzlwurm
In 2005, a third, smaller tent - or rather an Almstadl - called “Zum Tatzlwurm” opened for the first time, which also offers wine, prosecco and game dishes. The host of the festival is Karl Kiesl, owner of the restaurant and hotel of the same name on Sudelfeld . The model for this operation was probably the Käfer tent at the Oktoberfest, in which Karl Kiesl jun. has headed the service brigade for several years. A beer garden area has also been attached to the alpine hut since 2010.
The Proseccostadl
The former champagne tent has had a new look since 2007. In a purist modern wooden barn there are dumplings, coffee and cake during the day, as well as Prosecco, champagne and wine in all shapes and sizes all day. After 17 years of sparkling wine, operator Michael Fraenkel provides the Proseccostadl with a stop for dumplings, coffee and cake during the day and a lively atmosphere with dance music in the evening.
Other gastronomy
In addition to the Bavarian delicacies with meat and fish dishes, there are also Thai specialties and a pizza stand at the autumn festival.
course
The structure
The construction of the Flötzinger tent begins in the first week of July. The complete closure of the Loreto Meadow usually takes place two weeks before the start of the festival, as most of the showmen will arrive then.
The opening
After the costume parade, which leads from the Rosenheim train station through the city center to the Loretowiese, the Rosenheim autumn festival is officially opened after a few short speeches with three gunshots. In alternate years thereafter, the traditional place simultaneously in both beer tents tapping (currently by the Lord Mayor Gabriele Bauer ) and the district (currently Wolfgang Berthaler ).
The marquee boxing
On the first Sunday morning there is a boxing match in the Ochsenbraterei, which is often a great challenge for the boxers due to the unfamiliar conditions. In addition, other sports competitions take place as part of the autumn festival (e.g. tennis)
The family days
Family afternoons are held every Wednesday until 6 p.m., when the rides and booths offer visitors reduced prices.
Thanksgiving
Every year on the middle Sunday, the big Thanksgiving parade takes place in the city center. After the service in Mangfallpark, the participants move into the fairground and enjoy the morning pint they deserve.
The showman service
The traditional fairground service takes place on the second Tuesday in the monastery church located directly on the fairground. Often there is also a communion or confirmation for the children of the showman families. After the service, the economic association invites the travelers to one of the two festival tents to eat white sausage.
The brilliant fireworks
The highlight of the autumn festival is the brilliant fireworks display, which shines over the festival meadow on the Thursday of the second week of the festival at 9 p.m.
The autumn festival ends on the last day at 11 p.m. with the tattoo. After a few words of thanks, the hosts leave the tent and the music stops playing. The showmen usually dismantle their rides and stands at night, as many of them have to be ready for operation in a few days at the Oktoberfest in Munich.
Organizer principles
It has always been the aim of the economic association and the Rosenheim city fathers to present the autumn festival as a family-friendly festival. Before 2002, Maß never cost more than ten marks and, at 7.80 EUR (2013; 2007–2009: 6.80 EUR), it was well below the price at the Munich Oktoberfest . In 2016, the measure cost € 8.40.
Attention is also paid to a more moderate pricing of the rides, to which the aforementioned family days with reduced fares (in some cases 1 EUR) also contribute. In addition, the economic association tries to offer autumn festival visitors new attractions and stands every year in addition to the established businesses. For several years the festival has been advertised with the slogan “The sympathetic Oktoberfest”.
The Rosenheim Autumn Festival claims to place more emphasis on Bavarian tradition, which makes it more popular with the old Bavarian population than the Munich Oktoberfest. It forms a counterpoint to the cultural degeneration felt by the population and the mass tourism of the Theresienwiese.
safety
On the grounds of the autumn festival there is a guard from the police, the volunteer fire brigade and the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK). The medical team of the BRK Rosenheim has been looking after the visitors and showmen of the autumn festival for many years. Between six and fifteen emergency services and a doctor (two on the weekend) are on duty at the autumn festival, and a voluntary ambulance is stationed at the medical station. Around 600 to 1000 patients are cared for every year.
After the terrorist events that occurred in the run-up to the Oktoberfest in 2016, it was decided to strengthen the security measures and private security services checked the visitors' bags at each entrance. The police presence has also been expanded considerably.