German Hiking Day Ends with a Festive Procession and Mountain Parade

For three days, hikers from all over Germany gathered in Oberwiesenthal. After numerous hikes on both sides of the German-Czech border, the German Hiking Day came to a close in the evening on the open-air stage with a closing ceremony that included a fire show. 

The highlight of the final day was a parade from Bozi Dar (Gottesgab) in the Czech Republic to Oberwiesenthal, for which 1,300 participants had registered. At the finish line, visitors were treated to a traditional mountain parade featuring around 800 people in traditional costumes and mountain musicians. 

German Hiking Day coincided with Eurorando

This year, German Hiking Day coincided with the European hiking festival Eurorando, which had already kicked off in the region a week earlier. Numerous hikes were offered around the Fichtelberg and the neighboring Keilberg (Klinovec). The event also highlighted the mining history of the Erzgebirge/Krusnohori mining region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Thousands of Hikers in the Erzgebirge

Saxony’s Minister of Tourism, Barbara Klepsch (CDU), had also announced her attendance at the closing ceremony. “With Eurorando and German Hiking Day, Saxony has become a meeting place for the hiking community from all over Europe and Germany,” Klepsch said, according to a press release. With its unique natural and cultural landscape, the Ore Mountains provide an ideal setting for this. The events reportedly attracted thousands of visitors.