Rutenfest Ravensburg

At the end of the school term (usually in July), local pupils and adult citizens take part in many Rutenfest events including a parade watched by tens of thousands of spectators.

Alumni of local schools flock back to their hometown, to meet family and friends at the events officially organized by the Rutenfest Commission, and at hundreds of private parties.

While Rutenfest Ravensburg features several elements of Volksfests with beer gardens and funfairs like the much larger Munich Oktoberfest, it boasts a lot of local traditions that distinguish it from other German town festivals.

The oldest tradition still performed at today's Rutenfest is the solemn presentation of an award for the best female and male pupils.

The awards are presented during the second of two large events titled Tanzen – Spielen – Musizieren at the multi-purpose hall Oberschwabenhalle that also feature dance, sport and music performances by local schools.

Since 1821, local schools have been presenting plays and declamations, which means that Rutentheater has one of the longest traditions in German amateur theatre.

4,500 pupils and adults parade in historical costumes presenting the town's history from medieval times, when Ravensburg was an international trading centre, to the 19th century.

The three-hour-long parade also includes 120 horse-drawn carriages, all Rutenfest drumming groups, and many wind and brass bands from Upper Swabia with c. 1,200 musicians in total.

[6] The festival features several annual shooting competitions where local pupils compete for the title Schützenkönig (champion marksman).

Every five years, thousands of local grammar school alumni from all over the world gather to the Altenschiessen (roughly translated as "shooting by seniors") on "Ruten Sunday".

[8] On "Ruten Friday" afternoon in a ceremony in the Schwörsaal hall, the "Trommlerkorps" is presented with school flags and other insignia by the mayor of Ravensburg.

On "Ruten Saturday" night, Ravensburg's central square, the Marienplatz, is populated by some 20,000 people at the Fröhlicher Auftakt (roughly translated as "blightful beginning").