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Otterberg will sponsor its traditional spring fest Saturday through Monday. Since the middle of the 18th century, every two years, the community celebrates this historical spring fest, in turn with the old town fest.
The local mayor and the spring queen, Michelle I, will officially open the event at 7 p.m. Saturday in front of the Abbey Church. The enthronement of Queen Michelle will be conducted with the musical support of the Music Association Harmonie from Otterberg. At 8:30 p.m. the regional and renowned band Favorits will start entertaining the audience for the rest of the night.
Traditionally, loud gun salutes will wake up the Otterberg citizens at 6 a.m. Sunday. Then musicians of the Music Association Harmonie will walk through the streets of the medieval village performing a musical wake-up call.
The highlight of spring fest will be the parade with more than 1,000 participants walking up the decorated main street at 1 p.m. Sunday. Wagons and people in costumes will present the colorful history of Otterberg — there will be people dressed as Cistercian monks, Huguenots and Wallonians, and noble people in horse-drawn carriages. The spring queen will follow the group in a festive horse-drawn carriage. Local schools, kindergartens, associations and businesses will participate as well.
After the parade, everybody will walk to the fest grounds in the forest, which are about 2 kilometers outside of town, toward Hoeringen. For those who don’t want to or can’t walk, a shuttle bus will be available.
Various music groups from neighboring towns will entertain visitors in the forest. Local restaurants will be in charge of providing food specialties and drinks.
Customarily, a climbing tree will be set up as a challenge for youth. Everyone making it up to the top will receive a present. Local council members and the spring queen will pass out pretzels to children.
Spring fest will continue Monday when the Otterberg Music Association will march to the fest area in the forest again. Visitors are welcome to join the march starting at 2 p.m. from the town hall (Verbands-gemeindeverwaltung). Again, the forest will turn into a fest area with musical entertainment, eating and drinking. At 6:30 p.m. the fest will close out with a parade walking back to the square in front of the Abbey Church. Here officials and participants will thank the forestry office for letting them use the fest area in the forest. For more information, visit www.otterbach-otterberg.de.
