USAG Bavaria - Garmisch Community

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Out and About...

Fri, March 24 and every Friday, 8 a.m., Garmisch, pedestrian zone, Farmer’s Market, Fresh produce and local food specialties.

Sat, March 25, 8 p.m., Partenkirchen, Ludwigstraße 73. Unter den Arkaden,, Night Watchman Tour, with Anna, the daughter of the historical night watchman of Partenkirchen, Anno 1868/70, you experience the "night watchwoman of Partenkirchen" on her nocturnal tour. Whether forces of nature, mischief or mystical figures of the night, at special stops you will learn more about it. You dive into the world of the night watchmen, up until 1893. A world without electric light, but with a lot of human interaction in a small mountain village in Upper Bavaria, in the Werdenfelser Land.

Thu, March 30, and every Thursday 8 a.m., Partenkirchen, Ludwigstrasse, Farmer’s Market, Fresh produce and local food specialties.

Fri - Sun, March 24 - 26, 10 a.m., Fri at noon, Benediktbeuern Monastery, Don Bosco Strasse 1 | 83671 Benediktbeuern, 25 years Egg Art Market "Ova Burana Artistica” Numerous exhibitors present Easter crafts in the historic cloister of Benediktbeuern.

Sat, March 25, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Oberammergau, Festplatz, Am Labergraben, Flea Market

Sat, March 25, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Grainau, Kurhaus, Parkweg 8, Flea Market for children’s clothes and toys

Sat, March 25, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Farchant, Alter Wirt, Flea Market by Kindergarten St. Andreas for children’s clothes and toys

Sunday, March 26, 2 a.m. –

SPRING FORWARD –

change your clocks to 3 a.m. April 1, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Hall/Tirol, Stiftsplatz, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Easter nests, candles and eggs of all kinds as well as various Easter decorations are offered by about 35 stand operators at the Hall Easter market. In addition, there are Italian specialties, organic products, regional delicacies and Easter chocolate specialties. Young visitors can make their own Easter gifts at the handicraft stand. Parallel to the market, the unique exhibition "Art on the Egg" takes place in the Baroque Town Hall. , 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. (closed Good Friday), Bad Tölz, Marktstrasse, The scene of the event is the Marktstraße, also called the most beautiful "festival hall" of the Oberland. The reason for the nickname are the magnificent houses with Lüftlmalereien, which provide a colorful ambience in the cozy hustle and bustle of the gastronomy and small stores. Every day - except Good Friday - the 30 stalls of the Tölzer Ostermarkt invite you to stroll and browse from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Fri, March 31 - Mon, April 10, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Innsbruck/ Austria, Old town, Easter Market The Easter Market in Innsbruck takes place right in front of the Golden Roof in the old town. The Easter Market in the historical center of Innsbruck is organized in respect of the Christian Easter celebration and also welcomes the arrival of spring. In addition, the Old Town offers a colourful program of Tyrolean traditions and customs. From Frühschoppen' - a traditional pre-lunch get -together over a glass of beer - and the making of 'Palmbuschen' - bunches of twigs decorated with crepe paper and little pretzels - to traditional costumes and festive Tyrolean Easter dances. Locals present centuries-old customs and traditions to welcome spring.

Sat, April 1, 10 a.m., SeehausenStaffelsee, Boat landing, Start of the round trip (boat) season with the MS Seehausen, More info, tickets and schedule at http://www.staffelsee.org/english.php

Sat, April 1, Hausberg, Drehmöser 9, GAPER Day 2023 – End of Ski Season, at Gaper Day, organized by the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn in cooperation with GaPa Tourismus and K2 Sports, all winter sports enthusiasts are invited to show off their best vintage winter outfit. Everything is allowed. The main thing is that it is colorful and retro! The best outfits of the day will be chosen by an expert jury and rewarded with prizes. DJ Totze Trippi will provide the right sound from the 80s and the team of Drehmöser 9 will take care of the physical well-being. The Hausbergbahn extends its operating hours (last descent 6:30 pm). All other cable cars and lifts as well as the ticket offices (also on the Hausberg) close regularly. Day ski passes and season tickets are valid for the extended operating hours of the Hausbergbahn.

Sun, April 2, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Garmisch, Pfarrheim St. Martin, Burgstrasse 17, Arts & Crafts Easter Market

Sun, April 2, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Murnau, Pedestrian Zone, Palm Market, Outdoor Spring Market with merchandise and food specialties.

Use the upcoming spring days before Easter for hiking, swimming, sauna and other venues that are usually crowded during tourist season. Plan trips to nearby places like the Innsbruck Alpine Zoo, Hall in Tyrol (nice medieval looking town), Swarovski factory, Schwaz www.home.army.mil/bavaria/

Silver Mines (Austria), Munich Zoo, Open-Air Museum in Grossweil, Alpine Coaster in Imst (Austria). Vipiteno, Bolzano, Meran (Italy), Lake Garda for a weekend. Even the King Ludwig Castles (Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee) are now not as crowded. Lake Chiemsee is only a little over an hour away, Salzburg, Berchtesgaden. You can find more info out about all these places with Google… Enjoy springtime in Bavaria...

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Holy Week is called Karwoche in German. The word "Kar" comes from the old high German meaning mourning or sorrow.

Holy week begins with Palm Sunday. In catholic churches all over Bavaria "palm tufts” are blessed. Since Bavaria's flora does not include palms, pussy willows or cattails, growing in abundance in early spring, are used as a substitute.

In many areas they are tied into tufts with colorful ribbons and attached to tall hazel branches (Bad Kohlgrub and Mittenwald for instance); boys being in competition as to who carries the tallest hazel branch.

In Garmisch and Partenkirchen youngsters take a 3” cylinder and cover it with silvery catkins and colored paper and attach it to a 12” hazel branch. The youngsters sell them before or after mass. Depending on locality and/or whether the blessing of palm tufts takes place in one location and is followed by a procession to church.

At home the palm tufts are put in the “Herrgottswinkel", the corner with the crucifix in the "Stube". Here it stays for the rest of the year, to bless house and inhabitants. If the owners have animals, one goes in the stable as well. This custom has ancient roots; in middle Europe it was first recorded in 970 AD.

April 2, 9.30 a.m. Ettal, Basilika Consecration of the palm tufts. Festive Mass

April 2, 10.15 a.m., Partenkirchen, Maria Himmelfahrt Church, In front of the church Consecration of the palm tufts. Procession to the church, 10.30 a.m. Family Mass with choir

April 2, 10.30 a.m. Garmisch, St. Martin Church, consecration of the palm tufts

In Murnau Palm Sunday is celebrated with the traditional "Palm Market". The small town of Murnau has its market rights since 1350. 5 different markets are being held throughout the year. The “Palm Market” is a favorite. It includes a farmers market. After the long, dark and cold winter months everybody is ready to stroll outside, take a jonquil or some pansies home, eat ice cream and the children can pet a rabbit or watch baby chicks. Stores are open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Festive Palm Sunday service starts at 9 a.m. at St. Nikolas church. Blessing of palm tufts before mass.