Kaiserslautern starts blooming Saturday

***image1***Right at the beginning of spring, the city of Kaiserslautern takes center stage with thousands of primroses. The advertising association “Kaiser in Lautern” sponsors “Lautern comes into blossom” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Members of the association, as well as local institutions, will present who they are, what they do and greet guests with flowers. They also ask people to take part in a variety of actions and to enjoy special offers.

Entertainment, information and activity booths lure families to the center of town. The Tourist Information office celebrates its anniversary. For one year now they are located in the heart of Kaiserslautern, on Fruchthallstrasse 14. Miss Rheinland-Pfalz, Christina Baralt, distributes more than 1,000 primroses to visitors.

Local stores offer games for children, raffles, face painting, photo shootings, the repair of ceramics and glass items, the measuring of veins, and the latest fashion.

The Kaiserslautern park and gardens department puts up the “Lautrer Easter Tree,” decorated by children from local kindergartens.

Next to Stiftskirche, the Easter bunny can be admired when the rabbit breeding club P29 displays its showpieces. A fairy tale merry-go-round offers rides for the little ones.

At Altenhof, the zoo from Siegelbach presents a 30-square-meter petting zoo. The garden fair sells season tickets and promotes the upcoming tulip festival. A historical Volkswagen Meet lures car enthusiasts to Schillerplatz.

The Emmerich-Smola Music School sponsors a street music contest with several ensembles playing in different central locations. The best ensembles will be awarded at 2 p.m. on Altenhof.

Alabaster carving with the display of special pieces can be watched near the giant ball fountain on Riesenstrasse.

Rupprecht the Rabbit walks through the streets with his rattly handcart and passes out surprises to children and flowers to women. People also can have their photo taken with him.

Like on each Saturday, parking is free, except for parking garages.

(Courtesy of Kaiser in Lautern)