The May Festival in Oberhummel is threatened with closure: currently there is (still) no one organizing the popular event.
But there is hope.
Oberhummel
– The announcement did not come as a surprise: Hans Bichlmaier, who has headed the Royal Bavarian Maibaumaufstellverein Hummel since 1993 and was responsible for organizing the May Festival in Oberhummel every two years, is retiring.
It is not yet clear whether or how the popular event, which last attracted around 500 visitors in 2019, will continue.
32 members came to the meeting of the maypole erecting association in the Gasthaus Neumair.
Bichlmaier very much regretted that, despite a personal invitation, it was mainly the young people who stayed away.
After all, it was a matter of finding a successor that evening who would organize the May Festival, including the erection of the maypole, on May 1st in Oberhummel.
Because after 30 years, Bichlmaier will no longer take on this activity - which he had already made clear in the run-up to the meeting.
Since the association usually only meets every two years for a few weeks, has no fixed statutes and the individual activities are filled by arrangement, the step that Bichlmaier has now taken is possible at practically any time.
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Hans Bichlmaier organized the May Festival in Oberhummel for 30 years.
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(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)
After the official announcement of the decision, there was a lively discussion about the successor – without result.
No one agreed to organize the May Festival.
So that evening it remained open whether a new maypole will be erected this year - or just an ivy plant will be placed on the maypole pillar, as Bichlmaier announced, should no new Mayfest organizer be found.
However, the Hummler obviously do not want to let the tradition die: One day after the meeting, it was received with reservations that an organizational team led by master carpenter Martin Vogl would like to continue the tradition, which had been revived in 1976.
There will probably no longer be a big maypole celebration in the future.
The reason is the high costs incurred for beer tables and benches, dispensing equipment, sun umbrellas and much more.
Even if the Maifest had a record attendance like in 2019, the event would be a zero number.
Should bad weather or other unforeseeable events thwart the May Festival, the May Festival would even be a negative business.
And the association, which is otherwise only financed by donations, simply cannot afford that.
So it remains to be seen what exactly will happen on January 1st.
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Embarrassed faces: The 32 interested people who had come to the meeting looked at a loss when it came to someone responsible for the May Festival.
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Actually, the Maifest should have taken place in 2021.
But because of the corona pandemic, the festival was canceled - the service life of the traditional stick was extended by one year after an expert assessment.
Theoretically, a new maypole could have been erected last year, but because it was not your turn to alternate with Niederhummel, no festival was organized in 2022 either - and the maypole was finally knocked down after three years of standing.
Currently, only a cheroot reminds of happy May festivals on the church square in Oberhummel.
Should an organization team actually be found, it can fall back on a financial cushion: the cash report by Alois Neumair jun.
it was clear from the meeting that the club is currently on a solid footing.
And Bichlmaier has already done the preparatory work for a May Festival this year - not just in terms of a new tree.
The only thing missing is someone to organize the festival responsibly.
Franz Paul Kratz and Andrea Herman
You can find more current news from the district of Freising at Merkur.de/Freising.
