Aahhh, Germany, why do you love to confuse everyone so much? Here I am, minding my own business (ok, no I wasn’t), trying to learn all I can about Neuenkirchen — only to find out there are a dozen of them. And, get this, six of them are located in Lower Saxony alone.
Hello, that’s where I’m supposed to be — Neuenkirchen in Lower Saxony. Yeah, which one?
Thankfully, all is well — and I’ve found the right Neuenkirchen, the one located in the Lüneburg Heath. That very name alone should tell you that you’ll enjoy some fresh air — and nature lovers, hikers, and cyclists will have found their very own happy place.
Lovers of the great outdoors will appreciate the Freilichtmuseum Schäferhof, an Outdoor Museum. This real working farm is also a wonderful learning experience for everyone, including city-dwellers and the kids. Aww, look at those little lambs… sooo cute.
Darn, no time to get distracted now, there’s a Potato Festival going on. Every September a new Potato King is crowned, totally surrounded by the Beer Queen, the Asparagus Queen, and the Potato Princess.
Ha-ha, cute, but I’m off to try and win for the thickest potato; and then I’m going to eat all the potato soup and fried potatoes I can handle. When you can’t eat anymore, enjoy the music — and don’t forget to let the kids run off to enjoy the amusements set up just for them.
While the Potato Festival is (most likely) the biggest event of the year, it’s not the only one. The Schützenfest (Marksmen’s Festival) is held every May, while the Mühlenfest (Mill Festival) and the Harvest Festival are both held in August. October brings the Apfeltag (Apple Day) event, which is the same month as the Lantern Parade. For those willing to brave a northern German winter, come December when there are community hikes around the countryside.
Oh, did I mention the Mühlenfest without first mentioning the 19th century windmill? My fault, but that potato party had me beside myself.
All you’ve got left to see right now is the “Art Village,” some 30 sculptures found throughout all of Neuenkirchen. Get yourself a map at the Rathaus (Town Hall) to make finding them so much easier. And as soon as someone figures out what that big orange twisty sculpture is all about, could you fill me in? Please?
In the meantime I’ll be eating more of those delicious potatoes — for which I’ll remember the rest of my days, never to confuse this Neuenkirchen with any other ever again. ;-)
