Seiffen is expecting an onslaught of young and old this weekend for the first European Toymaking Festival. After Friday was reserved for a specialist forum, around 2,000 visitors are now expected - about as many people as Seiffen has inhabitants. More than 40 toy makers from nine countries have traveled to the festival. They come from Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain and the Czech Republic.
Japanese woman visits her former teacher in Seiffen
Wood toy maker and tire turner Christian Werner received a visit from a colleague from Japan on Friday. Maho Ito had once learned the craft from Werner and his brothers in Seiffen. She now practices it in Tokyo and also has a store there.
"There have already been meetings in 2021 and 2023, but only at the specialist forum back then," said project manager Josephine Hage. In this form, the festival is likely to be unique in the world. Seiffen had teamed up with Chemnitz, the European Capital of Culture 2025, for the spectacle.
Traditional craftsmanship and modern design
At the festival, visitors can experience traditional craftsmanship in a former swimming pool and enjoy modern design at the same time. Workshops, lectures and concerts round off the program. Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has also announced his attendance.
Woodcraft from the Ore Mountains with toys, angels, miners and smokers looks back on a centuries-old tradition. Since this year, handicrafts from the Ore Mountains have been part of Germany's intangible cultural heritage. The toy village of Seiffen is home to the only training center for wooden toy makers.
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