Pfifferdaj : the fiddlers' festival

" This is the medieval festival not to be missed in Alsace! This year's theme? Odin's Journey! "

The Fête des Ménétriers, Alsace's oldest festival, perpetuates the ties between the lords of Ribeaupierre and the minstrels they protected. Every year, this authentic festival, a popular encounter with the Middle Ages, takes place every first Sunday in September.
The Pfifferdaj is a medieval festival that pays tribute to the guild of minstrels (minstrels, musicians, acrobats, etc.), a guild that had its headquarters in Ribeauvillé and was under the protection of the lords of Ribeaupierre in the Middle Ages.

The highlight of the festival is the procession on Sunday, but there's plenty of entertainment on offer throughout the weekend:

• Sunday: 
  • at 9am: wake-up call by the Ménestrels of the Harmonie Vogésia from the Tour des Bouchers
  • at 10am: musical entertainment in the Grand'rue and all the squares by various musical groups taking part in the procession
  • from 10am to 7pm: medieval market in the courtyard of the former girls' school
  • before the procession: street entertainment by medieval groups
  • at 2:30pm: procession of musicians, floats, jugglers and fire-eaters... (a thousand extras in faithfully recreated medieval costumes take part in the procession).
  • After the procession: free wine tasting at the fountain on Place de l'Hôtel de Ville (courtesy of the Syndicat Viticole de Ribeauvillé) 
  • From approx. 7 pm (after the procession): public ball (Jardin de Ville de Ribeauvillé) 
  • At 8 pm: announcement of the results of the competition for the floats taking part in the procession
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• Saturday:
  • 10am to 8pm: medieval market in the courtyard of the former girls' school.
  • from 2pm to 7pm: street entertainment (strolls, skits, medieval dances, giant chessboard)
  • from 7pm: public ball and catering (marquee in Ribeauvillé town garden)
  • at 8:30pm: torchlight procession with the participation of musical groups (who will also enliven the Sunday procession) Route: departure from Place de la République to Ribeauvillé town garden. Lanterns are distributed to participating children.
• on Monday, at the end of the day: a small music concert and presentation of the traditional gingerbread to the town's mayor (Place de l'Hôtel de Ville)
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-->This year's theme is : The return of Arthur