Annaberger Kät
The Anna Kät ( commonly referred to simply Kät ) is the largest festival in the Ore Mountains and takes place every year a fortnight after Pentecost in Annaberg -Buchholz. It is one of the most popular festivals in Germany, will present their businesses in which over 100 showmen.
The Kät is known far beyond the region and one of the oldest festivals in Germany. Hundreds of thousands annually visit the Kät. The characteristic of the festival is marked by both catering as well as by showmen and fairground rides.
History
The Anna Kät has been held since 1520. The original pilgrimage to Holy Trinity had Duke George the Bearded launched in 1519. Occasion was the consecration of the cemetery with Holy Earth from the Campo Santo of Rome and the consecration of the present church to the Trinity Hospital. After the introduction of the Reformation ( 1539) it had the character of a Protestant Dead festival and later a folk festival. The festival takes place from time immemorial always two weeks after Pentecost. From the name " Trinity Sunday " (then rather resembled a weekly market ) or the denominated in German " Trinity Fest" was over the centuries in the Erzgebirge dialect " Dreifaldichkat " and finally just " Kat". In meißnisch - Saxon dialect it is " Kät " or " Kaat ". Other views going from the abbreviation of " Kat" for Katharina (Buchholz at Mount St. Catherine and St. Catherine mountain in Buchholz) from. The coat of arms of Buchholz showed St. Catherine with sword and incorporating broken wheel, this small book and to be considered for the city's founding mining scene.
Over the years, the place of the Holy Trinity Church was too small and the festival in 1827 moved to the neighboring Geyer Straße. In 1869, the company moved to the old Schützenwiese (now Kätplatz ), today located directly on the B 95, between the city and the Pöhlberg. The once typical Erzgebirge folk festival among others with Fasslkuchen, Bratwurstglöckl, Hippodrome, crinoline, necklace carousel, air swing, blow -the-bell, wheel of fortune, Punch and Judy shows, flea circus, lady without abdomen, Welsch - ice or eigeditschten ( eingedunkte in fish broth ) fish cakes with fish Buschmann, is a general hustle and bustle of modern, loud, become fast and expensive rides, which is interchangeable with similar events in Germany.
The Kät takes after as nine days ago and always starts on the 2nd Saturday after Pentecost with a service ( again only since 1990), protecting moving, and opening of the festival area. On the day before the Lord Mayor invites residents and the showman to take a so-called " KÄŦ -Ball " in which they sign up for their understanding during the upcoming loud KÄŦ week thanks in advance for the citizens and the showmen wants a good deal. A KÄŦ - feature: The drinks and food are to be paid by the invited guests themselves. After they had made very bad experiences with regard to the number of visitors with entry fees by the City Administration Annaberg -Buchholz, admission is now free again. In addition, successful with parking in the area and free shuttle service advertised more visitors.
On Monday there for several years Ladies Night instead - with discounts at many rides as well as in the food stands, and for women and " all that look so ...". On Wednesday, which is declared as a family day, discounted rates apply generally in all the rides. Thursday morning have disabled for two hours, the opportunity to try out free rides. Highlights are respectively the nights on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday night, the final weekend traditionally takes place the great Kät fireworks on the slope of Pöhlberg at 22.30 clock.