Festival «Free Market» or «Free Fair» in Bremen (German). Bremer Freimarkt) – is the oldest and third largest folk festival in Germany. It traditionally takes place in the second half of October and lasts 17 days.
The ancient German city of Bremen, a city with a rich history, hosts countless festivals and city holidays; its theaters are known far beyond Germany, but it is this ancient festival that attracts more than 4 million visitors annually.
The history of «Free Market» dates back to 1035, when the city received the right to organize this fair. Then, with the permission of Emperor Conrad II, all German merchants were allowed to trade during the week in Bremen without any restrictions twice a year: before Trinity and before the Feast of St. Willichad (November 8). Subsequent monarchs also did not deprive the city of this privilege. The last time such permission was issued by Franz II was in 1793. Afterwards, residents of the free city of Bremen themselves decided to hold the fair.
So today Bremen Freimarkt is almost a thousand years old, and thus this festival is one of the oldest and most traditional folk festivals in Germany. Currently, this is the largest trade fair, which is located on an area of more than 100 thousand square meters. m, and one of the most popular holidays in the country, which is attended not only by residents of neighboring cities, but also by tourists from many countries of the world.
The two-week festival is interesting not only for the fair, where you can buy all kinds of goods – jewelry, leather, pottery, wines, toys, painted gingerbread, famous Bavarian sausages, sweets, fried chestnuts and much more, but also for a large number of cultural events and entertainment.
Bremen Freimarkt – is a huge square with shopping pavilions, beer tents, attractions, carousels, a beauty contest, concerts, games, competitions, fireworks and retro car rallies. For the entertainment of citizens and tourists, there are more than 300 entertainment venues that operate throughout the 17 days from morning until late at night.
Also throughout the city, guests of the holiday will enjoy music, dancing, and theatrical performances. The central event of this incredibly vibrant festival is the parade, which traditionally features more than a hundred richly decorated platforms and masquerade groups.
It is not for nothing that the autumn festival «Free Market» in Bremen is called the «fifth time of year» for its scale, brightness and splendor.