The Hessentag (; ) is an annual event, both fair and festival, organized by the German state of Hesse to represent the different regions of Hesse. The events are shown for a week to the visitors, with an emphasis on cultural displays and exhibitions. It is the oldest and largest state festival (Landesfest) in Germany.

History

The Hessentag was launched in 1961 by the minister-president of Hesse, Georg August Zinn. The event was intended to bring together long-time residents and migrants and to provide a sense of their new home to the many refugees and displaced persons. Hesse itself had to catch up in terms of togetherness; the state was only created in 1945 by a decision of the victorious powers of World War II, from areas with different history and development. Georg August Zinn knew how to integrate the various new "Hessians", following his motto: "Hesse ist, wer Hesse sein will" (A Hessian is anybody who wants to be a Hessian").

The first Hessentag in Alsfeld in 1961 was held on three days, presenting a fair and a parade of the different traditional costumes in Hesse. It attracted 40,000 visitors. Because of this success, an annual event was held. The Hessentag is hosted by a different town each year. The event comes with publicity, improved infrastructure and restoration of historic buildings, but is expensive for the host town.

Hessentag has undergone many changes. Originally it was held on one weekend (three days), but grew to a 9- or 10-day event, including both weekends. It connects Hessian culture, tradition and modern lifestyle. The first focus of the event was presentation of traditions, especially the wide variety of costumes in Hesse and also the costumes of the new citizens who came after 1945. Concerts by international pop groups have become a featured part of the program. The Landesausstellung (State Exhibition) is shown in mobile halls, presenting the state government, the parliament, parliamentary groups, various state agencies and organizations, associations and clubs. Regions of Hesse are presented mostly from a tourist's point of view. Since 1971, for each Hessentag a couple (Hessentagspaar) is elected to represent it. Since 1993, a motto for the event was chosen by the hosting town, also a logo. The event is traditionally closed by a parade.

Each year the event has attracted more than half a million visitors, not only from Hesse. More than one million visitors were counted first in Baunatal in 1999, the leader so far was Kassel, with nearly 1.9 million visitors in 2013. Other towns attracting more than one million visitors were Dietzenbach (2001), Butzbach (2007), Langenselbold (2009), Stadtallendorf (2010) and Oberursel (2011). The Hessentag 2012 was held in Wetzlar and attracted 1.2 million visitors.

In 2020, the scheduled Hessentag in Bad Vilbel was cancelled for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Hessentag, scheduled to be held in Fulda, was also cancelled, as was the 2022 edition, scheduled to be held in Haiger.

Locations No. Year Location Visitors Days 1 1961 Alsfeld 40,000 3 2 1962 Michelstadt 40,000 3 3 1963 Hanau 60,000 3 4 1964 Kassel 430,000 3 5 1965 Darmstadt 350,000 5 6 1966 Friedberg 120,000 3 7 1967 Bad Hersfeld 150,000 3 8 1968 Viernheim 150,000 3 9 1969 Gießen 200,000 3 10 1970 Wiesbaden 200,000 3 11 1971 Eschwege 160,000 3 12 1972 Marburg 250,000 9 13 1973 Pfungstadt 160,000 9 14 1974 Fritzlar 230,000 9 15 1975 Wetzlar 370,000 9 16 1976 Bensheim 345,000 9 17 1977 Dreieich 450,000 9 18 1978 Hofgeismar 300,000 9 19 1979 Friedberg 350,000 9 20 1980 Grünberg 275,000 9 21 1981 Bürstadt 300,000 9 22 1982 Wächtersbach 300,000 8 23 1983 Lauterbach 300,000 9 24 1984 Lampertheim 400,000 9 25 1985 Alsfeld 400,000 9 26 1986 Herborn 350,000 9 27 1987 Melsungen 400,000 9 28 1988 Hofheim 450,000 6 29 1989 Frankenberg 480,000 9 30 1990 Fulda 700,000 10 31 1991 Lorsch 580,000 10 32 1992 Wolfhagen 680,000 10 33 1993 Lich 860,000 10 34 1994 Groß-Gerau 680,000 10 35 1995 Schwalmstadt 760,000 10 36 1996 Gelnhausen 660,000 10 37 1997 Korbach 700,000 10 38 1998 Erbach 520,000 10 39 1999 Baunatal 1,060,000 10 40 2000 Hünfeld 710,000 10 41 2001 Dietzenbach 1,100,000 10 42 2002 Idstein 925,000 10 43 2003 Bad Arolsen 780,000 10 44 2004 Heppenheim 915,000 10 45 2005 Weilburg 840,000 10 46 2006 Hessisch Lichtenau 580,000 10 47 2007 Butzbach 1,100,000 10 48 2008 Homberg (Efze) 810,000 10 49 2009 Langenselbold 1,000,000 10 50 2010 Stadtallendorf 1,100,000 10 51 2011 Oberursel (Taunus) 1,400,000 10 52 2012 Wetzlar 1,215,000 10 53 2013 Kassel 1,830,000 10 54 2014 Bensheim 1,325,000 10 55 2015 Hofgeismar 750,000 10 56 2016 Herborn 940,000 10 57 2017 Rüsselsheim 1,400,000 10 58 2018 Korbach 845,000 10 59 2019 Bad Hersfeld 862,000 10 60 2023 Pfungstadt 400,000 10 61 2024 Fritzlar 519,000 10

Planned locations No. Year Location2020 Bad Vilbel - cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021 Fulda - cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2022 Haiger - cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 62 2025 Bad Vilbel

References

External links

Ministerpräsident Volker Bouffier: „Tradition des Hessentags mit Herzlichkeit und Offenheit gelebt“ (Prime Minister Volker Bouffier: "Tradition of Hessentags lived with friendliness and openness"), press release of Hessische Staatskanzlei, 10 June 2012 250.000 Besucher auf hr-Veranstaltungen Hessischer Rundfunk Hessentag 2012 in Wetzlar Frankfurter Rundschau Von guten Stuten und feinen Schweinen FAZ 8 June 2012 Fast eine halbe Million Besucher bei Hessentag Faz 6 June 2012