Cultural highlight: Rusticus Festival combines music and craft in Schorba

Cultural highlight: Rusticus Festival combines music and craft in Schorba

On the last weekend in August, more precisely on August 30th and 31st, the Rusticus Festival will take place for the eighth time in Schorba, not far from Jena. What was once launched as a small local event has now become an indispensable event in the region's event calendar. With a variety of music styles that include folk, country, blues and rock, the festival offers visitors the opportunity to experience handmade music in a special atmosphere. Here urban and rural influences meet harmoniously and create a unique experience.

"The idea for the festival was created in 2017 during a street festival," recalls Wolfram Seznec, one of the co -organizers. Together with his friend, who is active in various bands, he found that there are hardly any cultural offers in the region beyond the traditional fair events. So the Rusticus Festival was born, which was designed as a two -day celebration and has grown steadily since then.

a blessing for the ears and for the senses

The musical orientation of the festival has been established in the Americana genre, which is a mixture of folk, country, blues and rock. Seznec notes that this is due to the music passion of his co -organizer Rüdiger's mouth. "Rüdiger simply loves this style of music and this is also reflected in our selection process for the bands," he says. But the stages are also played internationally; Bands from countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, Wales and the USA have already been part of the line-up. An example of this is a Canadian band that has now made a name for itself in her home country.

A festival like Rusticus would not be completely without its close connection to the region. "We attach great importance to local providers," explains Seznec and adds that the festival sampling is also supported by a shuttle service from Jena, which enables visitors to travel comfortably. This not only makes it easier to travel, but also the local economy.

A look at the craft

Another highlight of the Rusticus Festival are the wood craft demonstrations that SEZNEC presents on its own company premises. "I lead a carpentry and a historic sawmill," he explains. Here the visitors show how a tree trunk boards or squared woods are created. Such traditions of the craft have become rare, and Seznec is proud to give an insight that may be able to inspire young people for these professions.

"It is a challenge to arouse the interest of the youth in craft professions," he admits. Many believe that they could learn everything important online, but the personal experience remains with nothing.

one thing remains important: the family atmosphere

The festival should consciously remain manageable in its size. "We don't want to organize mass events, so we are already satisfied with around 300 visitors," emphasizes Seznec. Personal contact with the guests is important to him and his team. "When I see the smiling faces at the end of the day and hear the positive feedback, I know that we were successful," he says. This year the return of Nick Dittmeier and the band Half Cab, known for their energetic mood, is particularly celebrated.

The Rusticus Festival shows that music and craft can be in a harmonious interaction. It is a place where the ruralness coexists with urban vitality and where the love of music and manual skills is celebrated while the traditions are respected at the same time. With the support of the Thuringian Cultural Foundation, the festival is now taking place for the second time and is expected from both old friends and new faces.