Around 4000 mountain riflemen and just as many visitors are expected next weekend in Gmund for the patronage day of the Bavarian mountain riflemen.
The hosts are prepared.
Gmund – The Gmund Mountain Rifle Company has been preparing the patronage day for two years.
Now in the final phase, the organization team around Captain Max Gröbl is putting everything together: 4000 shooters from all over Bavaria are to celebrate big next weekend with at least as many guests - including the Prime Minister.
Since the Gmund Mountain Rifle Company was awarded the 2023 Patronage Day at the Federal General Assembly in 2021, Max Gröbl and his main team have been organizing.
The people of Gmund applied with a concept that combines the highest holiday of the mountain riflemen and the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the company.
Among other things, church services, parades, tattoos, a chronicle and a festival program are planned.
Five teams take care of the areas of public relations, marquee and signs, service and church procession, traffic control and music program with tattoos.
Applications were made, permits obtained, invitations sent out, extensive traffic and safety concepts and schedules drawn up.
For the holidays from Friday to Sunday, May 5th to 7th, the mountain riflemen got tangible support.
"We are so happy and grateful that we were able to win over the local clubs," says Gröbl.
"About 300 helpers support us on a voluntary basis." The costumers and veterans, the sports fans and the rural youth, both fire brigades and the Red Cross help with traffic regulation, security service and shuttle service, with the distribution of food in the tent, at the snack stand and with the distribution of drinks at the big field service above the lido Kaltenbrunn.
The whole of Gmund also sticks together when setting up and dismantling the tent and seating, building the grandstand and the altar where auxiliary bishop Wolfgang Bischof will celebrate mass.
Carters from all over the valley drive the guests of honor in eight carriages: Prime Minister Markus Söder,
President of the Landtag Ilse Aigner, Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger and possibly Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann as well as the clergy.
"A festival of this size only works with volunteers, otherwise the costs would be far too high," says Gröbl, who also thanks the municipality of Gmund for financially supporting the association.
Also read: Foundation helps Gmunder mountain rifle company
The main income is to be generated from the sale of the festival signs.
It should cost five euros and be of such high quality and design that it should inspire not only mountain archers and collectors, but also all other guests.
During the whole preparation of the Patronage Day over 24 months, the biggest challenge was to find a proprietor who has it in his cross to host thousands of other festival guests in addition to the 4000 participating mountain riflemen.
The choice fell on the innkeeper family Fahrenschon.
"We can use the synergies with the Gmunder Volksfest in terms of a positive cost-benefit effect," explains Gröbl.
When the fairground rides that ended on Monday are dismantled, the marquee will be extended to a total of 100 meters on Wednesday.
If it should rain, the festival service could also move there.
When the weather is nice, you can also celebrate outside.
In the hall of the cattle breeding association, which is otherwise used by the municipal building yard and the local associations for storing equipment, a Bavarian evening with brass band music will take place as an additional event.
"We want as many spectators from near and far as possible to take part in our festival and our culture," explains Max Gröbl, not least with a view to the great Bavarian tattoo, the highest form of military honor, which one does not often experience live in one's life be seen and heard.
The Patronage Day 2023 in Gmund will be a very special celebration.
The program
Friday, May 5, 2023: 7 p.m.: Bavarian evening with the music group Hamkoan Nam in the cattle hall next to the marquee on the Gmunder Volksfestplatz.
Admission free.
Saturday, May 6, 2023: from 5 p.m.: marquee operation at the Volksfestplatz;
around 8 p.m.: line-up and march to honor the dead at the plague chapel;
9 p.m.: Big Bavarian tattoo in the schoolyard of the primary school in Gmund
Sunday, May 7, 2023: from 7.45 a.m.: Weißwurst morning pint in the marquee;
from 8 a.m.: arrival of the companies;
from 8.30 a.m.: Line up for the church procession (from the Volksfestplatz via Tegernseer and Wiesseer Straße to “Zum Seeblick”);
10.15 a.m.: Festive field service at the Kaltenbrunner Wiese;
around 12:00 p.m.: parade through town to the Seeglas roundabout and across the lake promenade to the marquee at the Volksfestplatz.
Then lunch and entertainment with the Waakirchen Mountain Riflemen's Band and the Gmund Village Musicians.
