This is your Sennelager HIVE What’s On Guide for the week ahead.
Garrison Notices:
- First up, if you didn’t grab a ticket for the coach trip, bad news—it is now officially sold out.
- The Community Support Team’s Coffee Morning runs every Wednesday at 10:00 AM.
- Keep Wednesday October 7th free for the BFBS big salute Cake Morning at Brydon House.
- Art classes with Kellie are happening this Sunday, October 3rd, at the LCC. Classes start at 10:00 AM, costing 10 euros per person. Themes include "Flutter and Flow" and "Pencil Postcards." Contact Kellie directly to book your spot.
This Saturday is German Unity Day.
Shops treat this exactly like a Sunday Everything will be closed, so make sure to stock up on your groceries and essentials before Saturday.
Events on our door step:
The Schloss Neuhaus summer season finale is this Saturday.
It is completely free admission, child-friendly, and yes, alcoholic beverages are available!
It features the "Regional Day" market, packed with local cultures, crafts, homemade treats, and live entertainment.
Bargain Hunting:
Just a 20-minute drive away, check out the Sälzer Lagune Kram - & Trödelmarkt on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
It is a traditional holiday flea market, second-hand bazaar, and it features toy stalls for the kids.
Local fair:
Hovelmarkt starts on Friday morning and runs for the whole weekend. Kids will enjoy the small fairground rides. Browse the farmers market and check out the local artisan crafts and foods.
Head over to the Pirate camp kids play arear, then grab a Bratwurst and beer to enjoy some entertainment.
Longer Trips: Bremen & Essen
Bremen (2-hour, 11-minute drive)
Bremen is the official host city for Germany's national Unity Day celebrations this year.
Expect free admission, plenty of family activities, and food stalls.
Check out the "Bremen Mile" showcasing everything from local fish sandwiches to rocket technology!
There is a dedicated, massive children’s and family area to let the kids run wild, plus a global food mile.
Fun Facts: What Are We Actually Celebrating?
- The Birthday Confusion: The Berlin Wall actually fell on November 9th. So why celebrate October 3rd? Because November 9th carries too much heavy political history in Germany. Politicians literally picked October 3rd to give the country a brand-new, conflict-free birthday.
- The Traveling Party: Unlike most countries, the main national parade isn’t in the capital. The massive festival rotates to a completely different host city every single year.
- The Oktoberfest Rush: West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl tried to rush the original reunification treaty. Why? He wanted it done before Munich’s Oktoberfest started to avoid a scheduling clash! They missed opening weekend, but it turned into a massive closing-weekend mega-party.
- The Tiny Icon: When East and West merged, almost all East German brands vanished. Except one! The quirky, hat-wearing traffic light man—the Ampelmännchen—survived due to public protests and is now a massive cult symbol.
- The Unity Cake Disaster: Bakers in 1990 tried to launch an official national pastry called the Einheitskuchen, packed with cherries and pudding. It was an absolute flop because it was way too complicated to bake. Turns out, you can’t legally force people to agree on dessert.
Essen Light Festival (1-hour, 39-minute drive)
Running from 2nd - 11th October.
This is a spectacular evening stroll featuring international light art, video projections, and light shows. The city centre transforms into a dynamic art gallery across 13 different locations.