Austria and its local traditions had been shown to the participants of Come2Graz – International Week 2016 by a group of students of the study course Nutrition Education on May 12, 2016.

“Aufsteirern” tradition in Graz included tasting of Schilcher, but also information about the different styles of dress depending on the regions, an Obdach festivity dirndl dress and a everyday dirndl from the Aussee region were shown, but the different styles of dirndl dresses were also worn by the students, the only male student present was dressed in deerskin trousers. A workshop gave the opportunity to learn how to decorate homemade Ginger bread hearts, another one guided to do handicrafts, Kirtag bracelets and stickers were made from birch wood, grain ears and ribbons. Or you could decorate a Prangstange from Zederhaus in Salzburg and take it home, as it did not have the original size. Customs related to Easter time included egg tapping – in Austria only hard boiled eggs are used unlike in Spain where one never knows if the eggs used are raw or boiled as it had been learned from the visitors. To be fit for the Vienna Opera Ball one could practice the Viennese Waltz. Those interested in festivals were introduced to the Salzburg Festival, Bregenz Festival or the Open Air Festival on the Roman Quarry in St. Margarethen. The most applause had been given to the musician on the Styrian “Harmonica” who guided the international guests but also the local organisers of Come2Graz into the hall.

Written by DI Dr. Eleonore Lickl