Schlossfest Partners Visit Tralee

The Mayor of Tralee, Cllr. Ted Fitzgerald officially welcomed the organisers of the famous Frankfurt-Höchst Schlossfest to Tralee on Friday, August 22^nd. The group led by Chairman Thomas Meder were guests of the Council at a reception in Tralee Town Hall and were in town to attend various Rose of Tralee events and meet with festival, cultural and tourism interests. 

Tralee has been chosen by the German city as its international partner for the Höchster Schlossfest (Castle Festival) in 2009. Last year the Icelandic capital Rekyavic was the chosen city and Tralee is the first Irish city or town to be accorded such an honour. Tralee’s fame as home of the Rose of Tralee Festival and Siamsa Tíre, the National Folk Theatre of Ireland, greatly influenced the organisers’ decision according to the Mayor of Tralee, Cllr. Ted Fitzgerald.

The delegation which included officers and press from Frankfurt attended  the Rose Ball and a performance of Siamsa Tíre whom they have invited to perform in Frankfurt. They also visited the Kerry County Museum, Tralee Golf Club and Fenit Marina.  It is planned to hold the 2009 German regional finals of the Rose of Tralee as part of the Schlossfest in June.

The  Höchster Schlossfest, like the Rose of Tralee, began as a street carnival in 1957 and has grown into a month long international festival featuring musical, cultural, artistic, sporting and theatrical events.   It runs from mid-June to mid–July and attracts over two hundred thousand visitors.

Invitations will be issued by the organisers over the coming weeks to a number of Tralee groups, across a broad spectrum, to travel to Frankfurt-Höchst in 2009 with German groups participating in next year’s 50^th Anniversary Rose of Tralee.

Participation in the Schlossfest is seen as a wonderful marketing opportunity for Tralee in Europe’s largest tourism market.  Holiday Tralee is planning to mount a major tourism promotion in the Frankfurt area to coincide with the festival. Access from Germany to Tralee and Kerry has never been easier according to Kieran Ruttledge of Holiday Tralee with Ryanair offering daily flights in both directions between Kerry Airport and Frankfurt-Hahn.

Frankfurt is the financial and transportation centre of Germany. It has a population of 670,000 people and is at the centre of the larger Frankfurt-Rhine-Main Region which has a population of 5.3 million and is Germany's second largest metropolitan area.

Further announcements are expected in October.

Tralee Town Council
Prince's Quay, Tralee, Co. kerry
Tel: +353 66 7121633 Fax: +353 66 7124620
E-mail: townclerk@traleetc.ie
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