Austria’s most unique and traditional holiday that I was able to experience while in Salzburg was Fasching. This is basically Carnival season in the German-speaking countries that begins on the 11th day of November at exactly 11 minutes after 11am and ends at the stroke of midnight on Shroud Tuesday. The week before it ends, there are parades and festivities all across Austria and Germany; I went to the local Salzburg parade the Saturday before.
The parade began with young children cracking whips, the goal being to drive away winter. Positioned in a long line, they waited for the call “Aufdrahd, oane, zwoa, drei – dahin geht’s” and then cracked the whip as precisely as possible in a certain rhythm. The parade organizers in traditional costume followed.
The rest of the parade consisted of tractors pulling large, themed “floats” filled with partygoers who tossed candy into the crows. In between there were local groups marching and bands playing. The parade seemed endless; luckily there were stalls selling food and drink all throughout the neighbourhood.
Other than Fasching, the only other real holiday observed in the spring semester was Easter. As I am not religious, however, I did not experience any festivities first-hand besides an easter market. Other students went to a special mass where they had their “bushes” blessed.
I also have not experienced any live entertainment, preferring to spend my money on traveling. There are certainly opportunities, however, to go see FC Bayern in Munich or a local band in Salzburg.
