The festival at Dornberg Castle combines music, theatre, cabaret and family program
Around 10,000 visitors came to Groß-Gerau for the eleventh edition of the "Volk im Schloss" festival. For three days, Dornberg Castle offered a program of music, theater, cabaret, acrobatics, and activities for families. Even occasional rain could hardly dampen the large crowds: On Saturday and Sunday, the grounds reached their capacity at times, meaning that no further guests could be admitted temporarily.
The festival, which offers free admission, brings together international artists with acts from the Groß-Gerau district and the Rhine-Main region. Despite the rain, the grounds were already packed on Friday evening. "The grounds were full, and people stayed," organizer Jochen Melchior concluded, drawing an initial positive assessment.
After the ceremonial tapping of the first keg by District Administrator Thomas Will and Groß-Gerau's Mayor Jörg Rüddenklau, The Whitebinders from the district and the BüchnerBühne Riedstadt opened the program with the musical revue "Rudi's Reichskabarett". Later, The Robbie Experience and the Belgian group NAFT, who combine electronic music with acoustic instruments, performed.
New Model Army as the highlight on Saturday
The second day of the festival showcased the wide range of offerings at "Volk im Schloss" (People in the Castle). The inclusive music project WIR SIND WER (WE ARE WHO), an interactive concert with herrH, the Portuguese street theatre Teatro Só, and a cabaret conference with Thomas Freitag, Fee Badenius, and Meigl Hoffmann were all part of the program, as were Young Rebel Set and Revolte Tanzbein (Revolt Dance Leg).
Following an artistic performance by Jana Vogel, the British band New Model Army provided one of the musical highlights of the festival. The castle courtyard was packed at this time.
Even away from the stages, the castle grounds became a popular meeting place for families, especially on Saturday. Face painting, balloon animals, and games complemented the cultural program. There were also plenty of opportunities to take a break between events under the old trees and along the castle wall.
From Dino Metal to Rock 'n' Roll
On Sunday, the focus shifted to artists and groups from the region. The Stockstadt marching band opened the final day of the festival, followed by excerpts from the Groß-Gerau Stage Factory's new musical.
Heavysaurus then entertained a cross-generational audience. The band combines heavy metal with dinosaur figures and targets its concerts especially at children and families. The regionally based band PFUND closed out the three-day festival with rock 'n' roll.
“The combination of international names and artists from the district and the Rhine-Main region is part of the festival’s recipe for success,” Melchior explained.
Around 150 helpers are on duty
The festival requires a significant amount of organization. According to the district, around 150 volunteers were involved this year. In addition, there are numerous sponsors and supporters.
District Administrator Thomas Will particularly praised the collaboration of the team led by Jochen Melchior from the Cultural Affairs Department of the district administration. At the same time, he indicated that the festival would continue: "Volk im Schloss will continue to bring people together. We will do everything we can to ensure that the festival has a bright future."
Melchior also sees the collaboration of all involved as a key reason for the success. "Volk im Schloss is an event where families feel just as comfortable as die-hard concert fans," said the organizer.
With around 10,000 guests and the festival grounds being completely full at times, the eleventh edition was a resounding success. "The concept was a complete success. 'Volk im Schloss' has lost none of its appeal, even after eleven editions," said Melchior.
"Volk im Schloss" is part of the South Hesse Cultural Summer and is supported by the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Art and Culture, as well as the Savings Banks Cultural Foundation of Hesse-Thuringia. Among the main supporters are the Savings Banks Foundation Groß-Gerau, SV Sparkassen-Versicherung, Merck, and the ÜWG.
(DISTRICT OF GROSS-GERAU – RED/PSKGG)
Featured image: Great bands, fantastic theater and cabaret, exuberant festival atmosphere: Volk im Schloss was once again a crowd-puller this year: Around 10,000 guests at Dornberg Castle were thrilled. Photo: Samantha Pflug
