Middleages Festival in Bavaria

**A Hay** · 15th June 06, 09:53 AM

This weekend is the beginning of a Middleages Festival in northern Bavaria in the town of Baernau. We plan to attend and I'll be kilted.

Here is a link to their site. http://www.historisches-baernau.de

There appears to be a group camping out there (sort of like a living history section of some of the Highland Festivals in the states) that will be depicting Celtic life. Probably many musical instruments cousin to Highland Bagpipes with various numbers of drones and tunings.

We went several years ago and had a great time. Always lots of good food and drink at a German Festival.

This town is near the Czech Republic border region of Bohemia (or boehmish). The website has a lot of pictures so it may give you some flavor of what it is about, even if you don't understand German.

One of the best things about Europe is participating in the local cultural events. I'm missing the Potomac Celtic Fest this year, but this will help make up for it. I'll post pics next week.

Tom

**A Hay** · 18th June 06, 12:59 PM

Attached at the link below are pics from the Middle Ages Festival in Baernau, a small town in northern Bavaria near the Czech border. Some kilts present, discussed below. Baernau Short version shows mostly pics of various early versions of bagpipes. With only one drone, the music sounds sharper, not so rounded as the great highland pipes. The style of music, supposedly middleages, has more of a "middle eastern" sound to me. Lots of drums, cymbals, and bells.

The pic with me and one of the vendors shows my Clan Hay kilt that I wore Sunday. On Saturday I wore my green Heritage of Ireland. With my broken German, I found out the lady lives near me. After chatting for a while, she gave me a small gift bottle of Mead (alcoholic Honey-based drink) I tasted it after I got home (don't drink and drive!). It's called Baerenfang, bear's tooth, and at 33% alcohol, packs a punch. Tasty though.

Baernau Long version shows some pictures of re-enactors in costume parading around the marketsquare. I liken it to a Renfaire, but with more of a European flavor than an English flavor, naturally. Interesting if you like European history, and I do.

Also a pic of the encampment. It was a beautiful weekend, high about 85 on sunday, but with a nice breeze in the shade. Great weather to watch and hear the 4 bands. What I would call "Celtic Goth" bands seem to be popular here. The food was great. Lunch was grilled veggies with Hollandise sauce and two small meat patties seasoned with onion (Gaulklerpfanne mit fleischkuschl) and fladenbrot (flat bread) Also had a pair of grilled bratwurst on a sliced roll before I left. In between were cinnamon-sugar coated almonds.

And finally, about kilts. There was a small group at the encampment wearing tartan clothing. Talking to one, I gathered they emulated the early Celt culture. There is one or two pictures of them in the parade. See if you can find it! In the background is another young lad wearing a kilt like garment. I talked with him and he is just starting to get a kit together. He really doesn't have the money or knowledge to do it right. Saw him on Sunday and he acquired a nice belt. I have a picture of us together, but don't want to post it. Don't think it is fair without asking his permission and I would not want him to appear in the Don't List. He was a nice young man.
Also saw two young people, about 18-19,but didn't get a chance to talk to them or take a pic. Girl was semi-goth with dark makeup, short hair, and black tank top.
Had a nice looking kilt (male style, to the knee, fringe right). Her partner had longish hair, black tee shirt, and pleated skirt (pleats all around, 4 inches below the knee). Different tartan from the girl. I'm not judging, it was just a different look.

So I was the lone traditional kilt that I saw, but I didn't get any comments, just some smiles and nods. Most folks thought I was just one of the reenactors, I guess.

Final comment. Bought a small knife forged by a smith in a vendor's booth. Didn't have one up to now. May make a passable rustic Sgian Dhubh. It has "Character" I may put some leather on the handle and use it for casual events.

Hope this thread is not too boring. Living in Europe opens ones eyes to what our ancestors lived like on a daily basis (for those of us with roots in this region). Next event is a jousting tournament in mid-July.

I miss the stateside highland games, but am looking forward to getting around to as many as possible when I retire in 4 years. Thanks for all the pictures posted by others.

Tom