Augsburger Osterplärrer

The Augsburg , Swabia's largest folk festival, marks the festive start of the Bavarian open-air season every year and transforms the Kleiner Exerzierplatz into a dazzling centre of joie de vivre just in time for Easter Sunday. This event is deeply rooted in the collective consciousness of the Fugger city, as it heralds the end of the austere Lent period and invites people to swap their thick winter coats for dirndls and lederhosen. The name of the festival, which comes from the loud cries or ‘bellowing’ of the market criers and visitors, is now synonymous with a lively mix of Swabian conviviality and modern fairground fun.

The atmosphere on the 36,000 square metre festival grounds is characterised by a special spring energy. The centre of the action is the large festival tents, above all the Schallerzelt and the Binswanger-Zelt, where Bavarian pub culture is celebrated in its most convivial form. During the 15-day festival, people of all generations come together to listen to brass band music while enjoying freshly tapped festival beer and traditional delicacies such as half chickens or Steckerlfisch (fish on a stick). This gastronomic centrepiece is complemented by the rustic Sterndl Alm, which offers a slightly more intimate setting for the colourful hustle and bustle.

In terms of numbers, the attracts between 500,000 and 600,000 visitors in an average season, who are drawn by the attractions offered by around 80 to 90 different showmen. The variety of attractions ranges from nostalgic classics such as the chain carousel and historic shooting galleries to state-of-the-art adrenaline rides that provide thrills with breakneck speeds and loops. The Ferris wheel serves as a landmark visible from afar, offering passengers an incomparable view over springtime Augsburg and, on a clear day, far into the Alpine foothills.

Special highlights in the programme are the two brilliant fireworks displays, which traditionally bathe the night sky above the fairground in a sparkling sea of colour on Fridays. The social aspects are not neglected either, as the family days on Wednesdays with reduced prices are specifically aimed at parents and children, thus underlining the character of the as a folk festival for everyone. With a history dating back over 145 years in its current form, the proves year after year that it is much more than just a collection of carousels: it is an indispensable social event that combines tradition and modernity in a way that is typical of the Swabian self-image.

Travel information:

By public transport:

- By train: Augsburg main 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-Garage (Im Thäle 3)

- Multi-storey car park (Fuggerstraße 20)