Austria / Germany

Almabtrieb I (Sheep and Cow Festival)

We made sure to arrange our holiday so we wouldn't miss the annual Almabtrieb (it's one of those things you have to see to believe!) What we didn't realize was that there would be a pre-show... a smaller version of the festival where a single farmer was bringing his cows and sheep down from the alpine pastures and paraded them down the main street of town. The REAL Almabtrieb would be the following week (see [Almabtrieb II]) but this was as good an excuse as any to set up the music and beer tents and to party on an otherwise dreary day!