|
17 Exuberant Days in Stuttgart as the World’s
Second Largest Beer Festival Gets Underway
New York, New York – Fri. Sep 27, 2024 – Annual festivals are a part of Stuttgart’s ambience, attraction and fun throughout the year, and the beer festival, or Cannstatter Volksfest, is no exception.
Rising spirits match the increasing popularity of Southwest Germany’s capital of Stuttgart. At this time of year, especially, there is a merry atmosphere surrounding the start to the annual beer festival, which is one of Baden-Württemberg's biggest and most important festivals attracting some four million visitors annually to the state capital. This year, from September 27 to October 13, the Wasen Stuttgart, as the event is known for its location on the approximately 75-acre festival site on the banks of the Neckar, will once again come alive with visitors.
Indeed, Stuttgart is a sought-after tourism destination but not only for its annual festivals. The cultural and lifestyle attractions, including the Porsche and Mercedes-Benz museums, wine tours, excellent food, luxury shopping, art and history museums, are a huge draw for visitors. Stuttgart is also the center of the Swabian region and is a perfect hub from which to explore the exquisite baroque palace and town of Ludwigsburg, the medieval town of Esslingen, and the university town of Tübingen to name just a few nearby destinations.
The first festival on the Wasen Stuttgart was held more than 200 years ago. Originally the idea of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg and his consort, Queen Katharina, it began as a combination of a festival for the general public and an agricultural fair, with horse racing and prizes awarded for outstanding achievements in cattle breeding. It was intended to aid the recovery of Württemberg's battered economy in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. The very first festival opened on 28th September 1818, the day after the king's 36th birthday.
The original harvest festival has long since developed into a popular public celebration with visitors from around the world. On September 27, eight beer tents and the Alpine Village will open their doors to the public and the fairground rides will get underway. Round about the Fruit Column, the traditional festival's historic symbol, some 320 showmen, hosts and stallholders have a wide variety on offer. A double-looping roller coaster, autoscooters or Chair-O-Planes as well as hearty dishes, such as grilled knuckle of pork, fried steak or Swabian "Maultaschen" (filled pasta), are served to go with the mugs of beer.
Stuttgart is just a few hours or less by direct train or car ride from Frankfurt (1,5 hours), Paris (3,15 hours), and Zürich (4 hours). It is the hub of a very accessible network of train and automobile routes. The Stuttgart Airport is a pleasant experience, and just a short flight from most European airports. Once you are in Stuttgart, you can use your StuttCard for free entrance to most of the museums, discounts on meals and drinks, as well as access to all of the public transportation including the buses and the regional trains that will take you into the wine hills or to Ludwigsburg and Esslingen. The StuttCard offers great benefits for visitors.
For further information and photographs, contact Victoria Larson at victoria@vklarsoncommunications.com
Stuttgart-Marketing GmbH,
official tourism partner of the capital city of Stuttgart
Rotebühlplatz 25, 70178 Stuttgart
https://www.stuttgart-tourist.de/en
| 
