Around St. Martin's Day on November 11, kids carry paper lanterns through the dark singing "Ich geh mit meiner Laterne," often behind a rider in a red cloak playing St. Martin, and many walks end at a bonfire. Most kindergartens and parishes hold their own. Here's what we checked, from a lantern-making afternoon at a farm to the Martinsfeuer in Günthersburgpark.
On St. Martin's Day, kids across Germany carry glowing lanterns through dark streets, singing songs their parents still know by heart.
In Frankfurt, parishes lead short neighborhood walks, and some have St. Martin riding ahead on horseback. Several end at a bonfire with Martinswecken, sweet buns shared in honor of the soldier who split his cloak with a beggar.
The Martinsfeuer marks St. Martin's Day with a big bonfire, warm drinks and the story of the soldier who cut his cloak in half for a freezing beggar. Here, kids from the Günthersburg adventure playground tell that story as a shadow play, a church brass choir plays, and little ones ride a kids' carousel. The organizers call it Frankfurt's biggest Martinsfeuer, now in its 30th year.
Lampion-Fahrtag is the Frankfurt Feldbahnmuseum's lantern-season running day. Historic narrow-gauge trains carry visitors through Rebstockpark, and the exhibition hall and outdoor yard of old locomotives and wagons are open to explore.
Food comes off the grill, with coffee and cake, and a campfire is lit as dusk falls. It suits train-mad kids from toddler age up, and anyone with a lantern to show off.
Around St. Martin's Day on November 11, kids carry paper lanterns through the dark singing "Ich geh mit meiner Laterne," often behind a rider in a red cloak playing St. Martin, and many walks end at a bonfire. Most kindergartens and parishes hold their own. Here's what we checked, from a lantern-making afternoon at a farm to the Martinsfeuer in Günthersburgpark.
On St. Martin's Day, kids across Germany carry glowing lanterns through dark streets, singing songs their parents still know by heart.
In Frankfurt, parishes lead short neighborhood walks, and some have St. Martin riding ahead on horseback. Several end at a bonfire with Martinswecken, sweet buns shared in honor of the soldier who split his cloak with a beggar.
The Martinsfeuer marks St. Martin's Day with a big bonfire, warm drinks and the story of the soldier who cut his cloak in half for a freezing beggar. Here, kids from the Günthersburg adventure playground tell that story as a shadow play, a church brass choir plays, and little ones ride a kids' carousel. The organizers call it Frankfurt's biggest Martinsfeuer, now in its 30th year.
Lampion-Fahrtag is the Frankfurt Feldbahnmuseum's lantern-season running day. Historic narrow-gauge trains carry visitors through Rebstockpark, and the exhibition hall and outdoor yard of old locomotives and wagons are open to explore.
Food comes off the grill, with coffee and cake, and a campfire is lit as dusk falls. It suits train-mad kids from toddler age up, and anyone with a lantern to show off.
