Chemnitz celebrates apples with more than 1,000 new trees

The "Harvest" planting festival has opened in the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz. In 30 program items on twelve stages, everything revolves around the apple. Over the past few months, well over 1,000 apple trees have been planted in the city, according to the State Ministry for the Environment and Agriculture. Another 600 are to be added over the course of the festival week until October 26. "Planting and harvesting brings people together, and that's exactly what it's all about here in Chemnitz," said State Secretary for Agriculture and the Environment Ulrich Menke at the opening ceremony.

Fruit will be celebrated with ideas such as an apple pie parade, apple hymns and dances and an apple rally. There will also be fruit tree pruning courses and culinary workshops over the course of the festival week, it added.

The planting festival and the tree planting are part of the "Living Neighborhood" project as part of the Capital of Culture year. A total of 700 different apple varieties were planted in order to contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. According to the ministry, the trees will be cared for by partner institutions and committed individuals in the long term.