Landstuhlapalooza: Two dozen bands play weekend Stadtfest

There’s so much music planned for this year’s Stadtfest Landstuhl, it might as well be called Landstuhlapalooza.

The weekend-long festival, which begins at 7 p.m. today, is a tradition Landstuhl has celebrated for 25 years. Festivities begin at the Alter Markt, when Landstuhl business and political leaders tap the ceremonial beer barrel — launching an evening of food, drinks and music along Kaiserstrasse, Landstuhl’s main thoroughfare.

“It’s that traditional time of the year, autumn is about to start. People come together to share a nice weekend, at the end of summer, before it gets cool and dark again,” said Sascha Rickart, 39, a local Landstuhl attorney. “Music is a big part of that.”

Over three days, live bands will perform on three stages. The Wings of Dixie, a U.S. Air Forces in Europe Dixieland jazz band, is one of the first bands to perform today.

“Having the Air Force band as the opening act builds a bridge between the German and American military communities,” Rickart said. “It’s a great thing.”

Earlier on, jazz dominated the music stages, said Gerhard Paulus, a local real estate agent and musician, who first organized the festival a quarter-century ago to promote local businesses.

“The music changed, with more pop music and soul,” Paulus said. “The younger people like that, the cover bands. There’s now something for everyone.”

Stadtfest also offers a glimpse of German traditions — a taste of what’s often seen at larger festivals like Oktoberfest in Munich. The fun continues Saturday, with more bands, food and beer. On Sunday, the event starts at 11 a.m. The event is free, although a €2 donation gets you a bracelet and helps cover costs.

“Numerous shopping booths, the famous car exhibition at the ‘Neuen Markt’ and a large offer of regional catering will ensure that everyone’s taste buds can be satisfied,” said Landtuhl mayor Klaus Grumer in publicity material.

Food vendors offer everything from traditional grilled bratwurst to saumagen — a slice of sausage typical in the local region. Local Italian restaurants will cook pizza and flammkuchen — a thin-crusted pie served with a cream sauce, ham and onions that has its origins in the nearby Alsace region of France. Sweets are also an attraction, from Nutella-filled crepes to irresistible mini-donuts.

City shops will be open during the festival on Saturday and also on Sunday — a unique change for Germans as shopping is only allowed on four Sundays per year.

Over the weekend, some of Landstuhl’s streets will be blocked to traffic during the festival. Visitors should consider parking in a lot outside the city center — some lots are along Bahnhofstrasse, near the main train station — and walking into the event.

The festival has grown over the years. For Paulus, it has been like watching a child growing up.

“It’s nice to see what it is now,” Paulus said. “I have a very good feeling that it worked.”

For more information, visit www.stadtfest-landstuhl.de.