Special exhibitions, festivals, concerts and much more: Chemnitz was European Capital of Culture this year. The curtain officially falls on the year of culture this weekend.
What will be on offer at the end?
The final event in Chemnitz will be an adventurous one: around 1,100 participants in the European Mining Parade will parade through the city on Saturday, accompanied by music and wearing traditional costumes. They commemorate the long tradition of mining in the region. The mining parades and processions in Saxony are part of the intangible cultural heritage and attract tens of thousands of onlookers every year during Advent.
After the parade, visitors are invited to the Theaterplatz for Christmas caroling. From midday, the foyer of the Stadthalle will be transformed into a creative Christmas workshop. According to the information provided, visitors can pour their own chocolate, build gifts out of wood or try their hand at 3D printing.
Under the title "Feierabend!", there will then be a look back at the Capital of Culture year on a stage next to the Karl Marx Monument from 8 p.m. on Saturday, before DJs play at an open-air rave on Brückenstraße.
There are also events in the Capital of Culture region. At the mining museum in Oelsnitz/Erzgebirge, for example, the new immersive light installation "Beyond Horizons" by US artist James Turrell opens to visitors on Saturday. It forms the conclusion of the art and sculpture trail "Purple Path".
What is the best way to get to the Capital of Culture finale?
Public transport services in the region are being increased. Buses, streetcars and trains will run as they do on weekdays, according to the Central Saxony Transport Association. The RE3 and RB30 trains between Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau will run every hour, as will the trains to Leipzig (RE 6), Olbernhau (RB81) and Annaberg-Buchholz (RB80). Chemnitzer Verkehrs-AG will also be running every 10 minutes on the main lines on Saturday.
In the city center itself, there will be numerous closures and stopping restrictions due to the mountain parade and the closing event. The city administration refers drivers to public parking lots and parking garages.
Is this the end of the cultural program?
No. The majority of the artworks on the "Purple Path", for example, will remain after 2025. The Chemnitz museums will also continue to attract visitors with exhibitions. For example, the art collections are putting on a solo exhibition on avant-garde artist Carlfriedrich Claus (1930-1998) at the end of the Capital of Culture year, which primarily highlights his phonetic work. Claus was a phonetic poet and co-founder of visual poetry.
The NSU Documentation Center is also open again and the Maker Advent will be attracting visitors with creative activities in 42 towns and communities in the region over the coming weeks.
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