Summer seems to be holding on here in Stuttgart, but it can't stop the fall festivals that are just around the corner. Here's a look at the foodie festivals that you can look forward to over the coming months:
Now to September 29th Street Food Market Stuttgart -- The street food market that began in July will continue every Thursday in Karlsplatz until the end of September. They seem to have a number of returning hits each week, like Poushe selling Swiss Strudel, and rotating favorites, like Laugenbekenntnis selling hot dogs and burgers on pretzel buns. If you want a heads up on what will be available, then like Gaumenfreude's Facebook page for an overview each Thursday in your newsfeed. You can see my blog post for my review, but for more updated food offerings, check out my Facebook page where I sometimes post pics from my Thursday outings.
Stuttgarter Weindorf
Now to September 4th Stuttgarter Weindorf -- The Weindorf will continue into September as Stuttgart celebrates their wine-growing tradition. The food and wine tents begin at the Altes Schloss and run all the way to the Rathaus. Go for the wine, of course, but be sure to try some of the Swabian cuisine while you're there. Have a look at my blog post for some tips.
September 2nd to November 6th Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival -- This is probably my favorite festival in the area! Every year, the palace grounds in Ludwigsburg are invaded by thousands of pumpkins to buy, eat, and see in various formations. This year the theme is "The Pumpkin Circus is Coming to Town!". See my full review here.
September 9th to 11th Venetian Fair Ludwigsburg -- This festival only comes around every other year and is not to be missed! You'll see tons of elaborate costumes, find all kinds of masks on sale, and sample tons of Italian cookies, sausages, and other specialties. Make sure you stay late if you want to catch one of the very cool musical (and sometimes also light and/or fire) acts. See my review from 2014's event here.
September 10th to 11th Dinkelacker Brauereifest -- Every year I intend to go and every year I somehow miss the Dinkelacker brewery festival. I've heard from friends that this is a great event much like Stuttgart's beloved Wasen, but on a smaller scale. Perhaps this year will be the one in which I make it!
September 11th Wandernde Weinprobe (Degerloch) -- This wine walk covers a 1.5 kilometer trail through the vineyards along the hillside between the tiny town of Degerloch and Stuttgart. Again, I've never been, but I have enjoyed the walk without the wine on many occasions.
September 14th to 18th Umbrisch-Provenzalischer Markt Tübingen -- I have a couple of coworkers who live in Tübingen who say that this market is a great event with lots of food and other goods from the Umbria region of Italy and the Provençal region of France. I've never been, but may try to make it out there if the weather is nice. Just beware that Tübingen is outside of the Stuttgart train zone, so if you want to get there by public transport, then you'll have to buy a Baden-Württemburg ticket or a direct ticket to Tübingen.
September 23rd to October 9th Canstatter Volksfest -- I think everyone in the area secretly looks forward to the Volksfest, also fondly known as the Wasen, no matter how much they openly complain about the crowds and tourists. (They're still much better than the numbers at Munich's Oktoberfest.) The Wasen is Stuttgart's biggest event and celebrates the season with fun carnival rides, regional foods, and tremendous amounts of beer. See my post on a previous year's festival for tips and an idea of what to expect.
September 24th to 25th Ludwigsburg Antique-Mile -- I've been to this event for a couple of years now. While it's not exactly food-related, I think it's worth a mention for all of the great antiques that you can pick up here (many of which are related to the preparation of food). See my past post here.
October 7th to 10th Fellbach Autumn Festival -- Many of the smaller towns around Stuttgart have their own festivals throughout the year, and it looks like Fellbach celebrates with a fall festival of their own. I've never been, but their website promises regional wines and delicious foods to enjoy with friends and loved ones.
October 14th to 16th Filderkraut Festival (Leinfelden Echterdingen) -- Although I wasn't terribly impressed with Esslingen's onion festival, I found this cabbage festival to be just the right kind of quirky. Think cabbage queens, cabbage foods, and plenty of fresh cabbages shredded on demand for you to make your very own Sauerkraut. Check out my post on last years festival see what it's all about.
Phew! That's a lot to keep you busy over the next two months. Enjoy it all before the cold whether sets in, and maybe stock up on on some of those pumpkins for all your favorite pumpkin dishes this fall.
Do you know of any other events that I've missed? Please share them in the comments below.