Augsburger Herbstplärrer

The Augsburg , the second part of the Bavarian-Swabian folk festival double, marks the glittering end of the summer festival season and is considered by many locals to be the ‘real’ highlight of the Augsburg event calendar. While the Easter welcomes spring, the autumn edition celebrates the golden days of late summer and harvest time, giving the atmosphere on the Kleiner Exerzierplatz a unique, warm and festive touch. When the days start to get shorter again at the end of August, the 36,000 square metre area is transformed for 15 days into the ‘fifth season’ of the Fugger city, where Swabian tradition and exuberant celebration come together.

A striking unique feature of the autumn version is the traditional parade, which usually takes place on the first Saturday of the festival and attracts thousands of spectators to the city centre. In this magnificent spectacle, numerous marching bands, traditional costume associations, historical groups and festively decorated brewery carts parade through the streets to the festival grounds, impressively underlining the deep roots of the in regional culture. Throughout the festival, there is a special atmosphere in the two large festival tents – the Schaller and Binswanger tents – as well as in the rustic Sterndl Alm, as people take advantage of the last warm evenings of the year to get together over a mug of festival beer and Bavarian specialities such as crispy duck or roast ox.

The economic and social significance of the can also be seen in the impressive figures. Every year, around 500,000 to 600,000 visitors flock to the grounds, with the total number of visitors to both events regularly reaching 1.2 million. Around 80 to 90 showmen provide a varied mix of entertainment and gastronomy. The offerings range from the latest high-tech rides, which often come to Augsburg directly from the major international venues, to classic children's carousels and lottery booths. Especially in the evening hours, when the rides are illuminated and the Ferris wheel turns its circles visible from afar, the unfolds a visual radiance that attracts visitors from all over Bavarian Swabia and beyond.

In addition to the fast-paced fun and tent culture, it is the time-honoured traditions that define the . These include the two large fireworks displays on Fridays, which light up the night sky above the grounds, and Family Day on Wednesday, which appeals especially to parents with children with its discounted prices. As the sun sets over the towers of Augsburg's old town and the smell of roasted almonds and grilled fish wafts across the square, it becomes clear that the is more than just a fair: it is a living symbol of the city's identity, marking the transition from summer to autumn in the most festive way imaginable.

Travel information:

By public transport:

- By train: Augsburg Central Station (distance 1.3 km)

- By tram: stop (lines 2, 4)

By car:

- Venue: Kleiner Exerzierplatz (Langenmantelstraße)

Parking options:

- Car park (Badstraße)

- Car park (Senkelbachstraße)

- CONTIPARK multi-storey car park (Ludwigstraße 28)

- Augusta car park (Im Thäle 3)

- Multi-storey car park (Fuggerstraße 20)