Kirchweihdult

It's that time of year again...

All week long the traditional Auer Dult festival runs, despite the cold and occasional rain. The good news is the glühwein and hot chocolate are a great way to break in the season.

Crockery

As the largest crockery market in all of Europe the Dult has plenty of dishes in various forms, colors, and makes. Some stalls cater towards brand name pieces, while others are handmade and make for perfect souvenirs. Don't expect to find any Nymphenburg Porcelain, but still there are beautiful things amidst the chaos.

Treasure Hunters

There is a large array of strange, unique, and interesting things to be found at the Dult. It's a great place to find antiques, although it requires a lot of patience. Sometimes prices are affordable and inexpensive, while other times finding that perfect one-off item means parting with some serious money, because chances are good it won't ever be found again.

Best of luck in finding the perfect thing you never knew you needed!

Steckerlfisch

One of the traditional foods at the festivals here are Steckerlfisch. 'Steckerl' comes from the Bavarian dialect for little stick. The fish - in their entirety - are cooking on sticks that are tilted above charcoals, so be prepared to dig around the bones. Typically Mackerl or a 'Lachsforelle' Sea Troute are used.

Occasionally they can also be found at biergartens in the area as well. Usually the tables surrounding the fish stands are cleared out for the obvious reasons. You have to feel for the guy that cooks them day in and day out.

Socks & Sandals

Being a traditional festival means people must have previously purchased clothing and home goods along side food and entertainment. Now days it is slightly strange to see an array of clothing for sale at the Dult festival. It always makes me wonder if the sales travel Germany and the surrounds to exclusively sell socks and other items at the various festivals.

None the less we all know Germans can easily be spotted the world over with their love of pairing socks with sandals, so there is definitely a market for them - even in the summer.

Soap Box derby

One of many great things about Munich is how the community really gathers for celebrations and innocent fun. Even though one would typically think of the soap box race as child's play there were some very sophisticated cars, unique designs from various political parties, and also the local police who can also have a bit of fun from time to time.

Jakobidult

This week will be dedicated to the Jakobidult, which is a traditional festival that is held at the foot of the Mariahilf church. Being the 700th year that Munich's residents and visitors gather for food, fun, and a bit of hit or miss shopping has something to offer for nearly everyone.

Last Friday the festivities began under torrential rains with a spot on local television. Celebrations continued through the weekend with a soap box car race on Sunday and will continue until August 1st. It's a great place to wear tracht (lederhosen and dirndls) or to see the locals dressed up in their traditional wears.

Friendly Neighborhood/Funny Name

Not many people outside of Munich know about Au. It’s a residential district just as the Wittelsbacher bridge crosses the Isar River from the Altstadt. Its original name, Awe ze Gysingen, means “Land on Water. It was incorporated into Munich in 1854, but has history as a municipality back to 1340. Its access to the parks lining the Isar make it a desirable area of town. A few interesting tid-bits about the neighborhood. It holds the largest annual market in Munich, the Auer Dult three times per year. Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, a 1974 World Cup champion has operated a stationery shop in Au for over 20 years. Given its position along the Isar, more than half of the homes in Au were destroyed during WWII (allied aerial troops used the Isar River as a guide at night before turning off to target the Altstadt). It also houses the Deutches Museum and the Paulaner brewery. Long known as a hub for craftsmen, smallmanufacturing, workers and Tagelöhner at the edge of the city, today it houses a more cosmopolitan crowd with more than 25% of the district as Foreigners.

It's Better with Leather

Munich isn’t exactly known for its leather goods, but being so close to Italy pretty much guarantees that you will find a stand or two at each market. I took this photo because I was impressed at the variety of leather accessories available. Yet, after spending a few minutes at the stand, I decided I couldn’t actually find what I was looking for. One of the more traditional seasonal markets in Munich is coming up, and is worth putting onto your calendar. It’s the Auer Dult at Mariahilfplatz in the neighborhood of Au from July 26-Aug 3. The 20,000 square meters transforms into Europe’s largest market for tableware.