Altstadt turns into party zone

by Petra Lessoing

86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs


Kaiserslautern’s old part of town called “Altstadt” will lure more than 150,000 visitors when it celebrates its annual Altstadtfest July 2 to 4.

For three days and two nights, Steinstrasse and its side streets will be one giant open-air area.

Kaiserslautern’s Lord Mayor, Dr. Klaus Weichel, will officially open the event at 7 p.m. July 2 on Martinsplatz to be followed by the band Snailshouse taking the audience on a time trip playing the best of the 1970s and 1980s.

The Midnight Mover family will perform at 8 p.m. in the yard of Wadgasser Hof on Steinstrasse and next door, in the yard of the Kopp and Krauss company.
The band From Da Soul will play from 7 to 11 p.m.

During the three-day event, more than 70 bands and artists will perform on nine stages set up between Martinsplatz on the bottom of Steinstrasse and Mainzer Tor on top of Steinstrasse. Dancing and entertaining music will be presented at the stage near the Kaiserbrunnen.

On Stockhausplatz, various soul artists will perform and on Unionsplatz, rock ‘n’ roll fans will feel like at home.

The musical highlights will be performances by Stephan Flesch and Band from 8 to 11 p.m.

July 3 on Stockhausplatz; Crime & Passion from 7 to 11 p.m. July 3 on Salzstrasse stage; the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band’s Five Star Brass formation from 2 to 5 p.m. July 4 on Stockhausplatz; and the rock pop band Undercover from 6 to 10 p.m. July 4 in the yard of Kopp and Krauss on Steinstrasse.

“The Altstadt fest is a place where people like to get together,” said Alexander Hess, project manager of the office for events in Kaiserslautern. “We are happy to be able to present such a diversified entertaining program of a high
quality again.”

More than 80 national and international vendors will present their merchandise such as art and craft items, leather goods, jewelry and clothes in the little side streets.

About 40 restaurant and pub owners located in the Altstadt as well as regional associations will put up booths and tables and take visitors on a culinary trip throughout the world.

The medieval group Die Legende will perform medieval shows and oriental belly-dancing on its stage in Klosterstrasse (next to St. Martin’s Church). A fire show is scheduled for 10 p.m. July 3 and 4 p.m. July 4.

The election of Miss Kaiserslautern 2010 will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. July 4 on Unionsplatz.

Children are lured to the kids’ paradise with merry-go-round, crafting tent and bounce-a-rama near the stage on Salzstrasse.

“In recent years, the fest was always a peaceful one,” Mr. Hess said. “We hope it will be the same this year and everybody will enjoy it.”

The fest is open from 3 p.m. July 2 to 1 a.m.

July 3; from 11 a.m. July 3 to 1 a.m. July 4; and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 4.
For more information on the program, bands and times, pick up the brochure in the Kaiserslautern Tourist Information office next to the Fruchthalle, in local restaurants or other official institutions.

 During the festival, several streets will be closed to traffic.
For details about the fest and parking possibilities, visit www.kaiserslautern.de.