Financial crisis is looming - Stuttgart could cancel its historic folk festival!

Financial crisis is looming - Stuttgart could cancel its historic folk festival!

A folk festival that brings with it more than two centuries of tradition is facing an uncertain future. The “Historical folk festival” in Stuttgart, which was launched in 2018, is threatened by the city's financial bottlenecks. Originally launched as a celebration of 200 years of Cannstatter Wasen, this festival combines an atmosphere that is reminiscent of the roots of the region and features fair attractions, jugglers and music groups. The last event in 2022 attracted 600,000 visitors, but the next edition in 2026 is now in jeopardy.

Stuttgart faces a worrying financial situation. The city has high debts, and austerity measures of around 600 million euros in the next budget are making the desire for celebrations increasingly impossible. The local SPD has already signaled that it wants to forego the folk festival, while the CDU and the Greens have not yet issued a statement. The festival, which requires one million euros to run, is not on the city treasurer's list and therefore has to assert itself against numerous other financial claims made by clubs, cultural institutions and social institutions.

A rich history

The Cannstatter Volksfest has a long and eventful history that dates back to 1818. Founded by King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, it was intended to encourage the population in difficult times and to stimulate the local economy after the Napoleonic Wars. Over 30,000 people took part in the first celebration - more than the population of Stuttgart and Cannstatt at the time. The central one Fruit column, which is still an important landmark of the festival today, stands proudly and symbolizes the agrarian background of the festival, which used to be heavily dedicated to agriculture.

Over the years, the festival has experienced numerous ups and downs. From 1882 it was held every two years until it was paused for more than 28 years during the world wars. In 1972, the folk festival finally took place over 16 days, and impressive visitor numbers such as the 5.3 million at the 140th folk festival in 1985 testify to the popularity of the event.

Suffer from the crisis

But the economic conditions have changed. The current crisis, especially the difficulties in the automotive industry, is leaving its mark. The historical folk festival that is like that Munich Oktoberfest which is also rooted in tradition, could only be continued in a scaled-down form if Mayor Frank Nopper (CDU) budgets 100,000 euros in the budget. A final decision on the fate of the festival will be made by the local council on December 19th.

It remains to be seen whether the “Historical Folk Festival” in Stuttgart can continue or whether the stories and memories of festive times will soon be a thing of the past. The coming weeks promise exciting developments in the heart of the Baden-Württemberg state capital.