Fathers Day

[Beebo]

It's not the easiest thing to happen 😭

Sadly it is the natural order of things.
It even sadder the other way around.

 

[DRM]

There's a small festival in most villages, usually run by the fire department.

Is that because of the "Dad BBQ's"?

 

[Speicher]

My Father was born in Germany, as was his Mother.

 

[stephec]

I don't know about Southern Germany where Andy is, but here in the North it's a tradition for a small group of men to load up a Bollerwagen with beer then walk around the neighbourhood pulling it behind you and getting louder and more lairy as the day goes on. Quite what an earth it's got to do with being a father escapes me, but that's what the vast majority of men get up to. It's also a public holiday today so everything is shut and tomorrow all the schools are also shut.

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Is that something that would be done in smaller towns/villages rather than cities?

I go over to a place called Giesen, not too far from Hildesheim, usually once a year for work, I'll have to try and time it right next year. 🍻

 

[Andy in Germany]

Is that something that would be done in smaller towns/villages rather than cities?

I go over to a place called Giesen, not too far from Hildesheim, usually once a year for work, I'll have to try and time it right next year. 🍻

It's common in rural areas, certainly. Many villages also have a festival: look for the fire station, as they tend to run it.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Is that because of the "Dad BBQ's"?

I think it's because the Fire Department runs, or provides manpower for, a lot of village activities. They can also run the event at a tidy profit because on average half the village turns up, and the other half goes to visit friends and attends their festival.

I'm sure some people go around the festivals trying to get as bladdered as possible: fortunately, this can be done on foot...

 

[T4tomo]

I don't know about Southern Germany where Andy is, but here in the North it's a tradition for a small group of men to load up a Bollerwagen with beer then walk around the neighbourhood pulling it behind you and getting louder and more lairy as the day goes on. Quite what an earth it's got to do with being a father escapes me, but that's what the vast majority of men get up to. It's also a public holiday today so everything is shut and tomorrow all the schools are also shut.

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that is shocking ... how do they keep the beer cool all day?

 

[chriswoody]

Is that something that would be done in smaller towns/villages rather than cities?

I go over to a place called Giesen, not too far from Hildesheim, usually once a year for work, I'll have to try and time it right next year. 🍻

Giesen Isn't too far south of me, not that I've ever been there though. As Andy mentions, the Bollerwagen tradition happens all over, whether that be a large city or small town. As for the festivals he mentions, I can't say I've ever seen any up here. That said, it is Ascension weekend here though, which means a bank holiday weekend for all and there probably will be festivals attached to that.

Bank holidays here are an interesting thing, this year Ascension itself falls on a Thursday, so everything is shut down for that day. Then, rather than open the schools up for one day before the weekend, we'll have a bridging day before the weekend. Aside from the Dads, yesterday was so quiet, your not allowed to mow lawns or do anything that will cause noise or disturbance on a public holiday. Generally everyone just relaxes or visit's friends because there is nothing else to do.

that is shocking ... how do they keep the beer cool all day?

They start out with cold beer and then there's a direct correlation with their ability to care dropping off as the temperature of the beer rises.

 

[Alex321]

I'm dreading that happening to me: I'm still very close to my dad.

Mine died when he was 9 years younger than I am now (He had been a lifelong smoker). My mother died 5 years later, with HER father outliving her by several years (he was 92 when he died). So for several years, I had both parents dead, but a living grandfather.

 

[Andy in Germany]

that is shocking ... how do they keep the beer cool all day?

Giesen Isn't too far south of me, not that I've ever been there though. As Andy mentions, the Bollerwagen tradition happens all over, whether that be a large city or small town. As for the festivals he mentions, I can't say I've ever seen any up here.

They start out with cold beer and then there's a direct correlation with their ability to care dropping off as the temperature of the beer rises.

Re: cooling, Chrisswoody has summed it up. Parking the beer crate in a stream is a popular solution. Of course there may be issues finding it later, or indeed finding the stream...

I did notice some glass on the cycleway today, although to be fair that was two tiny shot bottles in about 8km, you see more in every square metre of York on a Saturday night.

I didn't know the festivals were a southern thing. They're often known locally as the "Feuerwehrhock" or similar.

 

[lazybloke]

.

yesterday was so quiet, your not allowed to mow lawns or do anything that will cause noise or disturbance on a public holiday.

This should be international law.
World peace too.

 

[Gwylan]

There's a small festival in most villages, usually run by the fire department.

They seem to be the party animals in a lot of villages.

 

[Andy in Germany]

They seem to be the party animals in a lot of villages.

The Fire Brigade tends to be a part of German rural social life, and a pool of local men who tend to be involved in a lot of events: they're usually called upon to put up tents and Maypoles, that sort of thing.

And yes, there are many who like to party. One nice thing though is that because they are known and part of the community, this doesn't generally lead to aggressive or antisocial behaviour.