Gaubodenfest – Festival of Germany

The German Post has issued a stamp commemorating the 200th anniversary of Gaubodenfest festival in Straubing. The Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing is the second largest genuine folk festival in Bavaria, Germany, after the Munich Oktoberfest.

The Gäubodenvolksfest is a modern and family friendly festival with about 120 carousels, roller coasters and six big beer tents with 25.000 seats at an area of about 90.000 m²., but it has upheld its traditional character. Many of the about 1.2 million visitors wear Bavarian costume ("Trachten").

The festival combines Bavarian tradition with progress and vitality. It is one of Bavaria's oldest and most popular festivals and it has increased to one of the biggest events in Germany. Beer plays a central role in the fair. The beer is specially brewed. Only breweries from Straubing or the district Straubing-Bogen are allowed to serve beer there.

On 12 of October 1812, thousands of people from all over the town of Straubing in Lower Bavaria participated for the first time in the "agricultural festival." The aim was to improve the backward agriculture in Bavaria and the stimulate peasants to produce more products by awarding their livestock.

During the 19th century the agricultural festivals took place in all the Bavarian administrative districts, getting more and more carnival-like traits. Represented only by the horse racing in the beginning, it was supplemented by shooting competitions, parades, fireworks, lottery, wine and beer sampling, food stalls, shows and rides.

The Straubing agricultural festival became the second largest agricultural festival in Bavaria, which attracts over 1.2 million visitors annually.

Club News

AHIMSAPEX-12

The meeting AHIMSAPEX-12 was held  on 26-08-12 at the residence of Secretory, Lucknow Philatelic Society, Shri.S.A.M.Zaidi. All issues related with the exhibition were discussed .Most of the  memebers of the society were present and few  came from other cities like Shri Vinod Sabbarwal from Delhi, Himanshu Singh from Deoria, Shri R.C.Bhatia from Mathura, Mritunjay Mishra and D.D.shukla from Kanpur.Sri Niyaz Ahmed C.P.M.GPO was the chief guest and he assured to help with full effort.

- SANDEEP CHAURASIA FROM LUCKNOW