As every year, a family festival was held at Rheinfels Castle in St. Goar on the last weekend in July. This time it was accompanied by rainy and cool weather, but this could not prevent numerous visitors from gathering at the castle. The International Order of the Hanseatic League, which originated from a medieval merchants' guild and is now based at the castle, was one of the organizations that provided food and drink.
For the fourth time now, the Wine Convent of St. Goar offered first-class wines from the Middle Rhine region for tasting in order to draw attention to the wine-growing region, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.
Art at the castle
The Treidler association took part with handicrafts and paintings. The name “Treidler” comes from the tugboats that used to pull ships through rivers and canals. For the association today, it symbolizes pulling together and working towards a common goal. As a cultural working group, Treidler e.V. is committed to the development of Rheinfels Castle into an art and cultural center, promotes young artists and fosters the exchange of ideas between artists and art lovers.
Hay animals, lavender arrangements, spice oils and much more were exhibited in the window niches of the large guardroom and visitors were able to look over the shoulders of artists as they created their works. The children were allowed to paint on a large canvas with a real artist's brush. Up to seven children were busy at the easel at the same time, creating their own work of art.
Knights' tournament for the little ones
For budding knights, the Sachenmacher family, dressed in medieval garb and arriving in a lansquenet tent, had prepared a “knight's tour”. Those who had mastered the challenges of shooting with a crossbow, sow rolling, horseshoe throwing or ring-piercing with sword, horse and armor were ceremoniously knighted or knight's wife.
