This afternoon the Frankfurt International School at the northern end of Oberursel celebrated their “Worldfest”.

At Worldfest, the parents of the pupils attending the school sell food and drink as well as arts and crafts from their home countries.  With 19 countries represented, there was certainly a wide choice of things to try, from more well-known dishes such as pizza (Italy), sushi (Japan), and Bratwurst (Germany), to more exotic items like Blini and Pirozhki (Russia), Poffertjes (Netherlands) and Bulgogi (Korea).

Food at the Indian stand

The elderflower lemonade from Sweden certainly made an interesting – and refreshing – alternative to the usual type of drinks at such festivals.

With the school celebrating its 50th anniversary this year as well, the festival was particularly well visited, with alumni swelling the numbers to an estimated 3,000 visitors!  In the entrance, a selection of vintage cars were on show from the 1960s and 1970s – the early years of the school, accompanied by their owners who were happy to explain their cherished automobiles.

Amongst the first visitors were (more…)

Last weekend Oberursel held its Christmas Market or Weihnachtsmarkt.  It is a Christmas Market that I generally enjoy going to for a number of reasons.  Firstly I can go by train and enjoy a Glühwein, and the prices are also reasonable compared to some of the other markets in the area.

My only complaint is that it is so early in Advent, that for the past few years it usually rained.

Not this year though.  With temperatures around 0°C there was snow on the ground and a crisp chill in the air, making the Glühwein much more appropriate.  I believe the number of stalls had increased, too.    So many, in fact, that the local newspaper had a map in it with them all on.  In the town centre there were apparently 121 stalls!.  (That’s approximately one stall for every 350 residents). (more…)

With the Hessentag fast approaching, I don’t think that it is unreasonable to ask how local businesses are meant to cope with the town being closed off for over a whole week, especially those who rely of being able to get to their customers.

For the past year, most events in the town have had an stand selling T-shirts for the event giving out “information” about what to expect.  It’s that information that I find very lacking.  When I asked how I was meant to get to my customers at an event back in May, I was told that they didn’t have a concept for local businesses yet.

A bit late, you might think, seeing as they must have had a concept to bid for the event in the first place.

Then a few weeks ago my business received an invitation to an event taking place where people were to be honoured for their services to the town, and the “first information about the Hessentag” would be given.

That information turned out to be nothing more than (more…)