- With drums and wind music, the Gäuboden Folkfest begins
Thousands of spectators watched the grand folk costume parade at the Straubing Gäubodenvolkfest. On a mild summer evening, the festival hosts rode through the city center in decorated horse-drawn carriages. They were accompanied by numerous folk and music groups, as well as craft guilds. With around 1.3 million visitors, the Gäubodenvolkfest is considered the second-largest folk festival in Bavaria.
Approximately 3,500 people participated in the traditional parade, which covered a two-kilometer route to the festival grounds. Unlike Munich, there is no official tapping of the beer barrel here. This is reportedly due to the former Straubing mayor Otto Höchtl, who in the 1950s out of respect for Munich, refrained from copying this tradition.
Thus, the Straubing festival began without the "Ozapft is" cry. The festival, which lasts about ten days, is considered the fifth season in the city of nearly 50,000 inhabitants. As in the previous year, there will be two drinking water fountains again this year, which proved to be very useful in the hot summer of 2023.
The official opening will take place on Saturday, August 10, at 10:00 AM. Bavarian Minister of Economics Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) and Minister of Transport Christian Bernreiter (CSU) are expected to give speeches. The festival will continue until August 19.
During the parade, some performers decided to move in their elaborate costumes, adding an enchanting spectacle for the viewers. Later in the evening, a few musicians opted to perform while moving in their intricate costumes, creating a unique blend of music and dance.
