The Hahndorf Business and Traders Association has just announced a new festival to its calendar of events… the Inaugural Pretzel Festival on the weekend of 29 and 30 April 2023.
International Pretzel Day is held in April and festivals are held across the globe in September, as Hahndorf already has its Hahndorf. Handmade. Handcrafted. Handpicked. Festival in September they have decided that a Pretzel Festival would be perfect for autumn celebrations.
Festival Director and Hahndorf Marketing Manager, Mikyla Gilbert says ‘it’s actually surprising we haven’t run a festival celebrating the pretzel until now.”
Considered to be one of the oldest surviving snacks in the world, the humble but delicious pretzel is thought to have originated in Europe, possibly created by monks in monasteries.
When researching further in the latter part of the 18th century, Swiss German immigrants introduced German baking traditions to people in the United States, Pennsylvania in particular. These immigrants quickly became popular for their freshly baked pretzels.
Now a billion-dollar industry in the US alone, pretzels are famous on the New York streets and the crunchy crispy smaller pretzels are served in bars across the globe.
“Hahndorf similarly is also famous for its pretzels, and they are already served at many restaurants, bakeries, and cafes in many forms, both savoury and sweet and being Australia’s oldest German settlement as a village we should take pride in celebrating the pretzel with visitors, said Mikyla.
“We are encouraging the entire trader community to celebrate the doughy, salty pretzel in as many ways as possible.
On the weekend of April 29 & 30 the trader’s imaginations will run wild… think pretzel ice cream, pretzel cocktails, pretzel beer, gin, wine and pretzel matching, pretzel colouring in, pretzel pizza, naan pretzel. Pretzel pasta, pretzel making, pretzel jewellery, competitions, sweet pretzels, sour pretzels, pretzel fudge, pretzel latte, pretzel chocolate flowers, gingerbread pretzels, pretzel fashions and much more…
“We look forward to this first event and maybe including it in the Tasting Australia program in 2024,” added Mikyla.
Here is just a few of the participating traders and what they will be offering. However many traders will be offering a salty crunchy pretzel when you visit their shops.
- Bean and Bikkie co will be doing pretzel shape gingerbread bikkies and a breakfast special for the avo pretzel for the weekend.
- Beerenberg will have an epic pretzel shake and pretzel brownie on offer.
- The Clothing Palette will give away free pretzel earrings with every purchase.
- The German Spoon will have a special dish – Pretzel served with homemade pork schnitzel, leek carrot potato mash, blaukraut, pickles and grain mustard jus $24.90.
- The Haus is running a pretzel photography competition and pretzels on the menu.
- The Haus will be selling special pretzel sweet selections on the weekend – cinnamon & sugar pretzels and rocky road chocolate pretzels.
- The German Arms are serving hot pretzels
- The Manna Accommodation will be selling Chocolate No. 5 Pretzel Chocolate Blocks at a discounted price and have fresh pretzels available to purchase at the reception for the weekend. They will also display pretzel bunting at both the Manna and Lodge receptions.
- The Old Mill will run a colouring competition, the best coloured pretzel wins a $20 in house voucher. They have a big wall where they can display the art for the weekend. They will also be making a pretzel pizza. Puff pastry, pepperoni and mozzarella shaped as a pretzel.
- Hahndorf Massage – Thinking along lines of ‘knotted like a pretzel? Come and unwind at Hahndorf Massage. They will also teach people the ‘Pretzel Stretch’. Also enjoy a cup of organic tea with your pretzels to continue your feeling of deep relaxation after massage. (Only on Saturday).
- Roots & Reasons will have pretzel brownies, pretzel cookies, pretzels on every table and a pretzel toastie.
- IlMulino will offer a bowl of pretzels with drinks and are making pretzel inside shaped pizzas
- Adelaide Hills Wine Bar – are going to be doing Pretzel Affogatos as well as adding them to all of their boards and platters.
- Humbugs will be selling Caramel Pretzel Fudge, Reese’s Dipped Pretzels and Pretzel M&M’s.
- Same But Different cafe are serving a pretzel bagel with pulled pork, slaw and a hickory bbq sauce.
- Wanderlust Boutique is selling Pretzel Candles.
- Hahndorf Hot Rods & Hot Dogs are giving away FREE salted pretzels with every hot dog purchase.
