It’s Time For Germany’s Springtime Festivals

One of the surest ways to know that spring is on the way — apart from the obvious weather cues like melting snow and warmer, sunnier days — is the beginning of Germany’s Springtime Festival season.

There are many fun fairs and spring festivals that you can attend. And you are lucky to have me to help you sort out the biggest and the best. Let’s take a tour to some of Germany’s major cities and see what they have in store for us this festive season…

Munich — April 29 – May 15, 2011

Affectionately called the Kleine Wiesn, or Little Oktoberfest, Munich’s Spring Fair has much of the same spirit of fun as its autumn celebration. You’ll find the weather a bit warmer than in the last weeks of September, however. This two-week-long fair includes all the fun amusement park rides that you would expect. One highlight of past years has been the carousel with a built-in bar!

Stuttgart — April 23 – May 15, 2011

The Stuttgart Spring Festival, or Cannstatter Wasen, celebration goes on for three weeks and features plenty of family fun, like face painting, merry-go-rounds, raffles and, of course, beer. Don’t miss the famous giant Ferris Wheel or the traditional food such as Kässpätzle (Swabian noodles with cheese).

Hamburg — March 25 – April 25, 2011

Hamburger Dom is a monster of a festival in its sheer size. The fairgrounds stretch for over 3.3 km (over 2 mi!). The Hamburger Dom fair is held three times a year. This event goes back to the 14th century when traders used to use the Dom (Cathedral) as an escape from the bad weather. These days, the revelers enjoy huge Ferris Wheels, weekly fireworks shows and circus entertainment that includes fire-eaters, jugglers and acrobats.

Frankfurt — April 15 – May 8, 2011

Known to the locals as the Dippemess, this is actually a twice-yearly event in the city of Frankfurt am Main. Dippemess is the Festival of Stoneware. It began as a humble fair and marketplace in the 14th century that showcased the local crafts of the town residents. Now you can enjoy the more modern version with its roller coasters, fun rides and fireworks.

Nuremberg — April 23 – May 8, 2011

This yearly festival in Nuremberg is another great way to celebrate the advent of spring. Food always plays an important role at these fairs and at Nuremberg’s spring fair, you’ll be treated to the lovely smells and tastes of grilled meat and roasted nuts. And it wouldn’t be a German festival unless you washed it down with some beer. Amusement park rides and musical entertainment round out the rest of this fair, which attracts over 2 million guests each year.

—Marcus