The First of May (Erster Mai/ Maifeiertag) is a “sportlich” holiday in Germany. Everybody does something outside if at all possible. All around town, clubs and groups put up tents and cooked sausages on the grills. Many clubs organize hikes and runs to celebrate the entrance of May.
The FeG (Evangelical Free Church) in Kandern had a Sponsorenlauf (sponsor run) to support the operating costs of the youth center Connexion.
Youth center Connexion with grills set up to feed the hungry masses
Runners getting their numbers
Naturally, I ran in it, but I only did the 3k loop 4 times for a total of 12 km because I had to get over to the train station to play tuba with the band.
Yep, that's me sitting on a crate of drinks!
We played 2-3 pieces every hour when the Kandern steam train came into the station.
Steam engine puffing a cloud of smoke over the watching crowds
Another engine
All Aboard!
The people often marched off the train to the beat of our music. It’s not often that you have a band greeting you when you arrive at a destination! It just added to the fun of their day.
"Stadtmusik Kandern (our city band) would like to entertain you to a meal"
In between trains, we had lots of time to serve sausages, fries, and drinks to the milling crowds. During one of these times, I had a really good discussion with my tuba-playing colleague. Our discussion meandered for the next hour to topics like attending church, belief in God, the difference between belief and knowledge, choosing a religion, and how one can know something. It was my first philosophical discussion in German, and I hope and pray that we will be able to continue to have these open discussions!
