Month: August 2020

Schueberfouer (Shepherd’s Fair)

Also known as the Schueberfouer or Schuebermesse, the Shepherd’s Fair held in Luxembourg City at the end of August every year dates back to 1340, when it was founded by John the Blind as a market for the wool and sheep merchants of medieval Europe. Today it is geared toward entertainment rather than commerce, with carousels, food stands, and candy booths everywhere. Practically the only remnant of the original fair is the Marche des Moutons (March of the Sheep), a parade of sheep decorated with ribbons and led by shepherds in folkloric costumes. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mob Football

Mob football, a precursor to modern soccer and rugby, emerged in Europe during the Middle Ages. It typically involved an unlimited number of players from neighboring villages. The rules were vague and few. In some versions, any means short of murder could be used to move the ball back and forth. The game likely resembled a riot, and although mob football became an annual tradition in some places, it was frequently banned. According to legend, what was used as the first football? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Schäferlauf

St. Bartholomew‘s Day is celebrated in Markgröningen and other towns in the Swabia district of Germany with a barefoot race among shepherds and shepherdesses of the Black Forest. The first known race in Markgröningen was in 1445; today, children of active shepherds still race barefoot, and the winning shepherd and shepherdess are given a sheep or a large mutton roast. After the race there are other pastoral activities, such as a shepherds’ dance and a water-carriers’ race, in which contestants balance a pail of water on their heads and pour it into a tub at the finish line. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

East Hampton

The affluent residential community of East Hampton, located at the very end of Long Island and surrounded by water on three sides, is the easternmost town in New York State. As part of the area known as “The Hamptons,” the beach town is well-known as a playground of the rich and famous. Houses there can sell for millions of dollars, and many celebrities vacation there in the summer. In winter, the town’s population plummets. What famous pirate may have buried treasure in East Hampton? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Rishi Panchami

Hindus devote the day of Rishi Panchami to the Sapta Rishis, the seven seers of Brahma: Bhrigu, Pulastya, Kratu, Pulaha, Marichi, Atri, and Vasistha. An earthenware or copper pitcher filled with water is placed on an altar sanctified with cow dung. The seven seers are then worshipped with betel leaf, flowers, camphor, and lamps. Only fruits are eaten on this day. Rishi Panchami is primarily a women’s festival, but men may observe it for the well-being and happiness of their wives. Devi Arundhati, the wife of Rishi Vasistha and a model of conjugal excellence, is also worshipped on this day. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Thankful Villages

Thankful Villages are localities in England and Wales that lost no soldiers in WWI. In those rare parishes, every person who enlisted in the armed forces returned home alive. The term “Thankful Village” was coined in the 1930s by writer Arthur Mee, who identified 32 such places. Another 20 have since been added to the list. In France, where the death toll was higher, only one village lost no soldiers in WWI, and it also has the distinction of having lost none in WWII either. What village is it? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Michigan Renaissance Festival

Visitors who walk through the turreted gates of the annual Renaissance Festival in Holly, Michigan, are made to feel as if they’re stepping back into the 16th century. The festival has a permanent, 200-acre site which is set up to resemble a European village. Festival activities include theater, games, and equestrian events as well as displays and demonstrations of Renaissance crafts and cooking. Visitors can try their hand at archery or dueling, sample roasted turkey drumsticks, observe the arts of glassblowing, pewter casting, and blacksmithing. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary