Bernkastel-Kues hosts Middle Mosel festival this weekend

  • Published
  • By Iris Reiff
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  Another highlight festival near the base and in the Eifel and Mosel area is the Bernkastel-Kues Middle Mosel wine festival, scheduled to take place Aug. 30 - Sept. 4.

About 30 Mosel wine growing communities will participate in the festival, providing wine tastings, traditional food specialties, music and entertainment.

The wine festival is the largest event of its kind along the Mosel and attracts more than 50,000 visitors annually.

The annual festival officially starts 5 p.m. Aug. 30 with the opening of the Weinstrasse, or wine street, where multiple wine stands are lined up for people to sample the "Mosel gold."

As part of the opening events, the wine queen "Mosella" 2011 Melanie I. will be announced and welcomed in the market square around 7 p.m. Aug. 30 and greeted by the city mayor, Wolfgang Port.

Fanfare, local dancers, scouts and singers, and the Bernkastel-Kues city music association will be on stage in the market square in the early evening Aug. 30. A musical highlight will be the Handpicked band, providing rock, rhythm, blues and mainstream sounds from 8 a.m. until midnight Aug. 30 on Karlsbad Platz area, located in the center of town.

Activities will continue Aug. 31 with the opening of a large amusement park and handicraft art market at 3:30 p.m. along the Mosel shore. The market will be open from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. for the duration of the festival.

Free rides will be offered in the amusement park at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 31 for the opening, and reduced rides are available during "Happy Hour" from 5 - 8 p.m. Sept. 3 and for families all day Sept. 4.

Show and dance band performances as well as fanfare music will occur from 4 - 9:30 p.m. Aug. 31 in various spots of town, including Karlsbad Platz, along the Weinstrasse and in the main market square.

A highlight evening performance Aug. 31 features the The Beat Pack and New Lewis and the Hearts of Rock'n Roll, a Huey Lewis Tribute-Show, from 8 a.m. until midnight on Karlsbad Platz.

There will be a formal farewell hour for the present wine princess, "Mosella" 2011 Melanie I. and a welcome and crowning of the new "Mosella" 2012-2014 Nina I. from 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. Aug. 31 in the main market square. Entertainment is scheduled to take place in the market square surrounding the event.

Brass band music by local music associations, including bigband sounds, performances by a Dutch Dixieland music ensemble and a trumpet corps from the federal state of Westfalen, are scheduled to take place in the afternoon Sept. 1 in various spots of town.

One key highlight of the festival will be a fireworks display from the Burg Landshut Castle and the Mosel shore from 9 - 9:30 p.m. Sept. 1. It is known as the biggest pyrotechnic spectacle on the Mosel.

The second highlight of the wine festival is a large festival parade that starts at 2 p.m. Sept. 2 and takes place for many hours through the streets of Bernkastel-Kues. The event features close to 100 floats, fanfares and bands, all representing their wine communities that can be found along the Mosel river.

Participants will either be riding on decorated wagons or walking or dancing in the streets, most of them dressed in traditional outfits.

After the parade, music and dancing will continue throughout the evening.

Throughout the entire festival, especially Sept. 1-2, Bernkastel-Kues will be extremely crowded. It is recommended for visitors to arrive prior to 6 p.m. Sept. 1 and before 1 p.m. Sept. 2 to find convenient parking and to locate a spot for watching either the fire works display or parade.

It is not advised to bring young children to the evening events.

Consumption of wine and other alcoholic beverages will occur. People must arrange for transportation when consuming alcohol as police controls will be enforced.

To get to Bernkastel-Kues, drive to Wittlich, then through Wittlich Wengerohr and follow signs to the city from there.

Burg Landshut Castle

Built during the 13th century, the castle ruins of Burg Landshut lie atop a vine-clad hillside overlooking the Mosel river. Bernkastel-Kues is a famous holiday site for Mosel travellers.

Adventurers can follow a cobblestone path behind the statue in the square, through vineyards, travelling skyward. Take time, snap lots of pictures and take a break to enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramas of the Mosel, with the largest continuously-linked vineyard slopes in Germany.