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The "Kettenprater" at Rupertikirtag in Salzburg | © Tourismus Salzburg
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Fun and games: the best of Salzburg's folk festivals
"It seems to me, the most important thing in feasting is that one should enjoy it." Thank you, Goethe – then we'll do just that, and go for a beer at some of Salzburg's folk festivals. There are plenty – ranging from maypole-raising, through the Dult and the Rupertikirtag annual fairs, to the Trumer hop harvest festival.
Maypole-raising: enjoy a beer
The first of May is a major occasion in Salzburg. Maypoles are raised in many communities and villages – as in the Open-Air Museum, or by the "Lustige Salzburger" at the Einkehr Inn, or by the Historic Gunners next to the church in Aigen. Sideshows include tombola, maypole climbing and beer mug sliding. For those who have missed 1 May, the Stiegl brewery catches up, with its traditional maypole festivity on the following Sunday.
Raising festively decorated maypoles is a very old tradition in Salzburg. | © Tourismus Salzburg
Flying high on the carousel at the Salzburg Dult | © wildbild/MZS
Salzburg Dult: a week of partying
The annual Dult – a combination of funfair and trade fair –is a long-standing Salzburg tradition. It opens in the trade fair centre on the Saturday before Whitsun and lasts for the whole week. You can take a chairoplane ride, stroll round the stalls and visit the beer tent.
Augustinus-Fest: raise a glass to the patron saint
Every year, around 28 August, the Augustiner brewery in Mülln celebrates the patron saint of brewers, St Augustin, with a three-day festivity including live music, traditional delicacies – and of course draught beer in plenty.
Das Augustiner Bräu Mülln feiert jedes Jahr um den 28. August seinen Namenspatron mit dem Augustinus-Fest. | © Anibal Trejo
Rupertikirtag am Residenzplatz | © Tourismus Salzburg / G. Breitegger
St. Rupert's Day Fair: roundabouts on the Cathedral Square
From one saint to the next – St Rupert, the first Bishop of Salzburg, is the town's patron saint. His feast day is celebrated on 24 September with the annual fair, the Rupertikirtag. It offers the whole works – historic fairground rides, market stalls and beer tent, all round the Cathedral. Salzburg residents don traditional costumes and turn out in force.
Trumer hop harvest festival: a regular date in September
Hops and malt should not default! At the beginning of September, when the hop cones in the Trumer hop garden are ripe, the private brewery invites visitors to join in the harvest. It's not all just work –guided tours are offered, barrels are broached, and there are food trucks, beer bars and a pop-up exhibition in the old fermentation halls.
Harvest in the Trumer hops garden | © Tourismus Salzburg / S. Prommegger
Trumer hops garden | © Tourismus Salzburg / S. Prommegger
