Frühlingsfest 2011

This is the first  Frühlingsfest we have attended since we have been here in Munich.  We had a great time with friends on a perfect Spring day.  I bought a new dirndl.  The Hub wore his Lederhosen.  We drank a lot of beer....but didn't go on any rides.

I found the 'fest to be more relaxed than it's big brother Oktoberfest.  It is held at the Wiesen, the same place, but it only has 2 proper tents (that I noticed) and the tent that we were in, Hippodrom, was about half the size of the one we were in last fall.  This time, there were no balconies and not many out of towners.  More of a fest for the locals, it would seem.  In fact, I almost felt like a local! 

Walking to our Ubahn station, The Hub commented that he was feeling a bit self-conscious in his lederhosen...until we walked by several people who didn't even seem to notice our Tracht.  I commented to him that we were in probably the only city in the world where he didn't have to feel out of place dressed like that...and after meeting up with others, many dressed in dirndls and lederhosen on their way to the Wiesen, I think that he felt right at home. 

 We are certainly not locals yet...but we do love living here and like to be a part of the goings on.  Munich has become our home.  I do think we'll be back for more Frühlingsfest next season!

This place serves beer and spins!

Some of the crowd/events at Frühlingsfest

 

The Hippodrom Tent at  Frühlingsfestt-a pared down version from Oktoberfest

We could see the ferris wheel outside the tent window from our table

 

 

Special  Frühlingsfest Mass and a pretzel, of course!

Prost!

 

 

From our appetizer platter-a bacon fat spread with dried onions.  Don't judge!

The main course platter-look at all of those knudels!

The dessert platter...

When we exited the tent, it was dark, so we walked around a bit

Flying is fun for young and old....

Bedirndled

Or how it came to be that I am in this outfit...

 

You see, when we moved here last year, I swore that I wouldn't do it...I wouldn't dress up in traditional costume for the Oktoberfest in the fall nor Starkbierfest in the spring...the reasons I cited?  First, that there is nothing more sad than a drunk girl in a dress.  Second, that I didn't have a drop of German blood in me, so dressing up would be a bit of a farce.  Well, during my trip home to the States this fall had me finding out some interesting ancestral facts...

While at home and staying at my parents' house, my mother and I dug into the family records, including birth certificates and immigration paperwork for my grandparents and great-grands...what I learned is that my mother's father was the child of German parents...both his parents came from somewhere in Germany as per his birth certificate.  So, I not only have a drop of German blood in me, but my mother is 1/2 German...which makes me roughly 1/4 German....what a revelation!  I plan to do some deeper digging into my heritage...and will keep you posted along the way.  But, suffice it to say, for this year's Oktoberfest, I was bedirndled!

Along with a few of my friends here, who also got into the act:

Yup, even the Hub got into the act.  And, I have got to tell you all, it was pretty darn fun!  I didn't feel like an impostor...even though I am an Auslander (foreigner) here.  So many people were dressed up and in the spirit, I felt like I belonged...I guess pretty dresses/men in lederhosen and beer have uniting properties, huh?

Trachtenumzug

I learned a new word yesterday: Trachtenumzug. It means "costume parade". This is held on the second day of Oktoberfest. Friends and I went to the city center yesterday to watch 60+ regional groups/bands/breweries march in their traditional costumes. The people were so beautifully dressed and proud of their villages' heritage...it was incredible. Lots of oom-pa-pas, lederhosen and dirndls, and that was just in the audience! Have not ever seen anything quite like it in the states for certain-some of these towns had banners proclaiming that there home was 500+ years old. WOW.

Here are a few pictures of the carriages from the breweries: Some were moved by horse power:

One was moved by oxen-these were absolutely huge animals-check out the big keg they are pulling! You just don't get to see this stuff growing up outside of Detroit or living in Atlanta! There was one that was being pulled by a team of goats!

And then for some reason these people were pulling giant dumplings:

The parade lasted for hours and was wonderful. The route starts in the city center and winds it's way down to the Wiesen (meadow) where the Oktoberfest celebration is held. It is a long route and I know that they earned the beers waiting for them at the end point!

Here is the hunting club with their dogs:

I captured this little girl having a twirl:

These people had a great view from the windows of one of the office buildings along the parade route. Check out all of the lederhosen and dirdnls here and also in the backround of the pictures above!

These were people standing next to us...you didn't really think that I would leave you without some real people did you?

The parade was full of color: from the dresses to the flowers and hops that decorated the carriages, beer barrels, horses and the ladies' bosoms. My camera couldn't keep up with all of the colors! It was beautiful day and I was honored to see the pride that everyone had in their hometowns.