Eleven days of folk festival. After a long pandemic break, the anticipation was particularly great. Celebrities also came to Herne for the official opening on Friday.
Herne (dpa / lnw) - After a long pandemic break, the Cranger fair in Herne has officially opened as one of the largest folk festivals in Germany. Mayor Frank Dudda (SPD) gave the go-ahead on Friday afternoon in the marquee with a tapping of the barrel - three strokes. The "summer fairy tale on the Ruhr" could begin again, said Dudda. After the festival had been canceled for the past two years due to Corona, this is now a "magical moment," said the mayor, according to a spokesman. "We are back."
The President of the Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, was also there. The spokesman for Stadtmarketing Herne quoted the Duisburg politician as saying that she was a "child of the Ruhr area" and after the difficult times she was happy to be able to open the Cranger fair with her. The deputy prime minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Mona Neubaur (Greens), also celebrated. Pop singer Howard Carpendale provided the music - appropriately with "Hello Again".
Around four million visitors are expected to attend what is, according to the organiser, the largest folk festival in NRW over the eleven days. The fair had started on Thursday afternoon before the official opening. More than 500 showmen are part of the party on the Rhine-Herne Canal.
In addition to the rides on the fairground, there is a colorful show program, parties and a large offer especially for children and families. A big fireworks display was planned for Friday evening - as was the case at the end on August 14th.
The program also includes a traditional parade on Saturday with around 4000 participants on a four-kilometer party mile and again a showmen's service. The city had canceled the 2021 and 2020 festival due to the corona pandemic, so the anticipation for Cranger 2022 was particularly great.
