Picnic in the Park: With its extensive grounds, the European Culture Park is reviving a tradition celebrated on American Independence Day, the ‘4th of July’, in the USA. The initiative was launched by the German-American Institute (DAI) Saarland, the Saarpfalz district and tour guide Klaus Friedrich. On 4 July, the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence – its birthday, so to speak. Of crucial importance here is the end of the Battle of Yorktown in Virginia, the twin town of Zweibrücken, not far from Henrico County in Virginia, the partner district of the Saarpfalz District. The independence of the 13 colonies was achieved with the participation of soldiers from the Saarpfalz region – the ‘Régiment Royal Deux-Ponts’. In the War of Independence, Palatinate and Saarpfalz troops, as well as French-American forces, secured victory at Redoute No. 9.
Under the theme ‘4th of July’, visitors can look forward to a varied day: from 11 am to 6 pm, the picnic areas in the courtyard of the Roman villa are the perfect spot for a Sunday family outing. The day kicks off musically at 11 am in the tavern with Hans Bollinger, Thomas Doll and Christoph Kleuser presenting their musical matinee “Andre, die das Land so sehr nicht liebten” (Andre, who didn’t love the country so much), featuring songs about the emigration movement to the “New World”, amongst other things. From 2 pm, the band “Times and Tales” will provide the perfect soundtrack under the open sky. At 3.30 pm, six Red Falcons cheerleaders from TUS Rimschweiler will demonstrate this competitive sport, which originated in the USA, with jumps, lifts and walkarounds. The traditional pom-poms will of course be on display. And to further bring the American way of life into the historic setting, the tavern will offer a special selection to create a summery picnic atmosphere. For those interested, an English-language guided tour (duration 1.5 hours) begins at 2 pm at the “Maison Jean Schaub” information centre, followed by a taster tour (duration approx. 1 hour) in German at 2.30 pm, covering the historical background of the park. Both tours end at the tavern. The Roman re-enactment group Legio XIIII Gemina, who will be setting up camp in the picnic meadows, will provide fascinating insights into life in Roman times.
Admission to the event, which combines history, culture and entertainment, is free. The event, organised in cooperation with the German-American Institute of Saarland, is financially supported by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy. Further information is available at: www.europaeischer-kulturpark.de, on Facebook: Europaeischer.Kulturpark, or by telephone: 06843/9002-11. Subject to change.