St Johann's Knödel Fest celebrates 30 years
Arguably the highlight of the year in St Johann in Tirol is the annual dumpling festival or Knödel Fest.
Thousands of people from miles around come for this rather unusual celebration of the humble dumpling, with traditional dress, music, dancing and of course a few pints of the local beer thrown in..!
'The longest dumpling table in the world' is the proud boast of the festival organisers. And when you get there you realise why - a 300 metre long table stretching from the outskirts the town trails its way right through into the main square.
Along the way you will find 5 different music groups, 15 different dumpling makers, 22 different dumpling varieties - of which over 25,000 will be consumed throughout the day!
The festival itself is very easy to navigate - you'll receive a guidebook when you arrive, which details the location of each stall, and most importantly, the flavour of dumpling they are making. Amongst the varieties there are the standard bread dumplings in mushroom sauce, to bacon, cheese and salami dumplings. And for those with a sweet tooth - why not treat yourself to the vanilla and chocolate flavour, or try Café Rainer's famous Andreas Hofer dumpling!
No dumpling festival is complete without music, dancing and refreshments. The 5 different bands play on each of the stages and rotate every 30 minutes, meaning you don't have to. Pick your spot on the giant table and you and your friends can set up base and stay there for the afternoon!
The local Huber Bräu brewery make sure that all the beer stalls are well stocked throughout the day, and 1 dumpling per 2 beers is the perfect ratio for pacing yourself throughout the day!
All the locals will come dressed in their lederhosen and dirndls, making for a very traditional Austrian atmosphere. There are also traditional Austrian dancing displays in the main square. The festival has a superb, friendly atmosphere - expect the best of Austrian hospitality and you won't be at all disappointed. The Knödel Fest is a fantastic way to spend a day, quite unlike any other you will have experienced.
The 30th Anniversary dumpling festival weekend takes place in St Johann in Tirol from Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th September, with the main event from 1pm Saturday 24th September.
By Neil Lodge - Austria Product Manager
More information www.knoedelfest.at
Holidays in Austria with Thomson Lakes & Mountains
Return - blog home page
Join the conversation - we’re on facebook and twitter
Visit our website - Thomson Lakes & Mountains holidays