Colors of Bremen - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Bremen is famous for its unique traditions, which are respected and carefully followed by the locals as well by their ancestors hundreds of years ago. For example, while walking around the city on an ordinary working day, you can see a large group of people who grind, have fun and drink beer.

The occasion for such joy may be really unexpected. For example, someone from the city’s residents celebrates his thirtieth birthday. This anniversary is always particularly celebrated – a male, who celebrates his birthday, should wear a beautiful black coat and a hat. According to a tradition his faithful friends present a big wagon with beer to their friend. If the person, whose name day it is, is not yet married, the birthday party cannot end until the noisy celebration continues near St. Peter Cathedral. According to a tradition, all caps from the beer bottles should be thrown to the steps of the cathedral, and all girls from the guests of the celebration must pay some attention to the main parson of this party.

Another unusual festival is celebrated annually on January 6. It is called "Ice dispute". On this day a procession consisting of most respected men of the city goes to the Weser River in order to check whether it has frozen this year. People dress up in the costumes of Magi, vintage tuxedos and cylinders – the whole procession looks very impressive. Bremen inhabitants follow many traditions and customs of their ancestors for more than one hundred years. This fact adds some unforgettable hospitable charm to the city. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

February 25 is the time of one of the biggest annual music festivals - «Bremer Karneval» or the Carnival of samba. This interesting festival has appeared not long ago. It held here for the first time in 1985. The idea of organizing the celebration of the famous Brazilian dance belongs to students of Bremen Dance School. This holiday has impressed the local people so much, that success has been totally predicable. Within just several years a modest Brazilian party has turned into a large-scale carnival, which is attended by thousands of people. Nowadays a grand procession of dancers is accompanied by orchestra and theater groups that organize fascinating and engaging performances right on the streets of the city.

The city of Bremen is one of the most beautiful places in Germany. Bremen is the free Hanseatic city, which is globally known due to Grimm brothers and their famous fairy tale "The Bremen Town Musicians". For a good reason, Bremen is related to music, dances and nice entertainment events. If you are planning to come here - do your best not to miss such an opportunity and go rogue with local people on one of the festivals. The most famous festival that takes place all over Germany and Bremen is not an exception is...Oktoberfest! Did you know that during Oktoberfest, which lasts for 16 days in late September and early October, German people consume up to five million litres of beer?! Moreover, tourists and local people eat 80 bulls, 50 thousand of pork legs and 350 thousand chickens. And here is the logic conclusion is coming: Germans know a good thing about how to celebrate on a grandiose scale.

If you think that after Oktoberfest you will have a break and some time to relax, then you are highly mistaken. In the second half of October, people of Bremen celebrate the "free market" festival, or "Freimarkt", which proceeds for 17 days. This festival is the oldest one in Germany, as for its current age Freimark is about 1000 years. At the present time, this is one of the largest trade fairs, which is located on the territory of about 100 thousand square metres. Freimark is also the most popular and favourite holiday in Bremen, and tourists from neighbouring cities and other countries are coming to spend a good time here. The two-week festival is interesting not only because of the trade fair but also due to a large number of cultural events and entertainments. On trading fair, you can purchase goods of all kinds: jewellery, leather, pottery, wine, toys, painted gingerbreads, the well-known Bavarian sausages, sweets, fried chestnuts and many other things. The highlight of the festival is the bright parade - "Bremen Freimarkt". It is the huge area with trading pavilions, beer tents, attractions roundabouts, with a beauty contest, concerts, games, competitions, fireworks and rally of cars in retro style.

In February, locals and tourists have a great time during the Bremer Karnaval. It is the largest carnival of samba, where you will enjoy bright performances with an incendiary music of this vigorous Brazilian dance. The dancers of samba are gathering in Bremen in order to take part in this street carnival, while thousands of tourists are coming here to see this amazing celebration. The carnival starts on Friday. It begins with a children's fancy-dress procession in the downtown, and performances of young musicians and dancers. Then the initiative is taken up by adults. Since morning and until the late night the samba sounds in every corner. Every year the subject of a carnival changes, but vigorous rhythms of a samba and bright moments of the festival remain always. Next day there takes place the big street parade with huge dolls, colourful dresses. The evening program consists of dancing parties in clubs and in the open air, and there take place improbable masked balls at night.