9.08.2008

When Bad is the Best of the Wurst

Here in Bad Dürkheim, people say there exists only two seasons: before Wurstmarkt, the largest wine festival in the world, and after Wurstmarkt. Today marks the final work week of the before season.

Starting Friday, Bad Dürkheim’s 20,000 residents will welcome over 600,000 wine enthusiasts for revelry and celebration that most certainly would have made even the wine god Bacchus proud. A tradition in this otherwise sleepy town for 571 years, the Durkheimer Wursmarket will take place over the course of the next two weekends.

Preparation began weeks ago. Massive tents have already been pitched, and amusement park rides sprang up where the flea market and town parking lot usually stand. There is a buzz of excitement here unlike anything I have experienced since arriving in December. I can’t help but be caught up in the enthusiasm of it all.

Like many residents, Max and I will be doing our part to be a good host and hostess. We have six guests coming for the festival and expect a few more friends to be spontaneously crashing on our couches over the course of the weekend.

Next weekend, we are off to that “other big drinking fest” in Munich.

Then, perhaps, AA the weekend after that.

Have any of you ever been to Wurstmarkt or Oktoberfest?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

No But I've been to Bruges where there was a festival!

Unknown said...

I haven't been to either but this will be Hubby's third Oktoberfest.

Looking forward to meeting you as well :)

Unknown said...

OH I L O V E Bad Durkheim... will have to show you some pics from my last trip there... (sure the wait is killing you...) I have also been to Oktoberfest. we were in college.. (before most of us were using the internet...) showed up in Munich with no room booked & ended up sleeping IN a locker at the train station... & then camped at the Olympic Stadium... I was looking P R E T T Y!

Dianne said...

I went to a sort of pale bland Oktoberfest on LI, NY for a few seasons. It just lacked enthnic flair. More like a flea market with someone's idea of Oktoberfesty-like food and music LOL

the wine festival sounds fantastic!!

kenju said...

I had a friend once, from here in Raleigh, who went to Oberammergau and saw the Oktoberfest at the same time, I think (unless I'm nuts, which is a definite possibility). Have a great time at both!

Anonymous said...

I remember Berlin & the hot blonds very well!

Enjoy Wurstmarkt!

*CHEERS*

Jill said...

I've never been to either - but we always have friends who attend Oktoberfest there. Must be fun!

Have fun with your guests. :) If I ever make it out there, I'm SO calling you!

karey m. said...

this sounds like it will be a blast...albeit a drunken one.

i have this friend who tells naughty jokes all the time...she says {usually when she's tipsy} "AA IS FOR QUITTERS!"

yeah. that's kind of the point. eek.

have fun! xoxo.

Dan-E said...

i've never been to oktoberfest but i've drank plenty of octoberfest beers. but when you live in miami, every day seems like oktoberfest, except beer is replaced by mojitos and vodka cranberries.

forget aa. aa is for quitters.

(how old is that joke?)

Shelly said...

Oh, that sounds like so much fun! Haven't done a real one, only the smaller corny ones...but a real Oktoberfest is on my list of stuff I gotta do before I croak.

Caffienated Cowgirl said...

We missed the Weindorf here this year. I went to our Oktoberfest last year...dragging Little Man along with me. Ours is a glorified carnival midway. We'll go again this year...just because...but perhaps we will also head to Munich.

swenglishexpat said...

Diane - I was about to say, why don't you move out and let your house at some extortionate rate, when I came to the paragraph about friends! I've been to a few beer festivals in the UK, so I know what you are talking about!

Snooker said...

Can you believe I've been in Germany three Octobers now and I've never been to Oktoberfest (Munich or otherwise)? This is my year... we'll just have to see what Berlin offers as I won't be traveling.

On a side note, I went to the Oktoberfest in Tulsa, Oklahoma once. It is evidently the largest in America. Really it was very much like the beer fests I have experienced here... and very enjoyable.

You're so nice to host and entertain folks... I don't think I could do it!

jaded said...

No, but I did visit Panama City, FL when I was younger and more naive for Spring Break.

Claire said...

Oh man, I want to go! I've never been to something like that!

Cxx