Trippstadt celebrates charcoal burners’ fest

Trippstadt will celebrate its annual “Kohlenbrennerfest,” charcoal burners’ fest, Saturday and Sunday. The village fest will demonstrate the traditional burning of charcoal as well as other old craftsmanship.

The iron works museum will present a painter’s display during the villiage fest, and there will be activities for the children and live music.

Another special attraction will be the smithy fest featuring smiths from the Rhein River and Magdeburg. Goldsmiths and silversmiths will show off their fine and elaborate works, and a regional coppersmith will create animal figures.

The charcoal burners’ fest will officially open at 5 p.m. near the charcoal kiln on Meilerplatz.

Members of local clubs and associations will be in charge of demonstrating the burning of charcoal. Traditionally a week prior to the event, members pile up huge amounts of wood to build a coal kiln. A chimney is surrounded by sticks and covered with turf. The brushwood in the chimney is lit and the kiln starts burning. The charcoal burners then watch the burning, day and night, for up to a week, keeping the air outside the kiln. If the smoke coming out is blue, the burning process is correct. After the burning, the kiln falls down. The big charcoal pieces are then chopped up, the others are raked and all is collected and packaged.

During the fest, the whole process will be demonstrated again. One kiln will be built, another will burn and a third will already be burnt down. Visitors can buy the charcoal beginning in October at the local tourist office.

Festivities with musical entertainment will also take place on Hauptstrasse, which will be closed to motorized traffic, and local clubs and restaurants will serve regional food specialties in their yards.

Sunday, activities will begin at 11 a.m. with an ecumenical worship service near the charcoal kiln.

A children’s flea market will be set up on Hauptstrasse, and at 1 p.m. children can get involved in special activities for the kids. The Pikes Cheerleaders will perform from 3 to 3:30 p.m. in the center of the village.

Visitors can listen to music, taste food specialties and enjoy the display by painter Philipp Helmer in the museum until 6 p.m.

Trippstadt is known as an official health resort town because of its good climate and oxygen-rich air. It is located within a wooded area on a hill 1,312 feet above sea level, 12 km south of Kaiserslautern.