Codlea municipality, neighboring Brasov, also know as ?Flowers? Town?, displays its traditions within an original feast ? Kronenfest (?The Crown?s Feast?), became a popular exhibition. The costume used to be formerly an appanage of the German community but turned meanwhile into ?Codlea?s Days?, gathering Romanians, Germans and Magyars. The event, whereat are invited folkloric bands, even from abroad, is a sumptuous parade of the popular clothes, a real delight for the tourists.
Kronenfest
The event took place this year on June 17-18 and was organized by the city hall, the local council, the community centre, the students? club, the sporting club and the Centre for traditions? conservation and promotion Brasov. The authorities, represented by mayor Alexandru Popa and vice-mayor Ivan Calin, assigned money and attracted sponsors that ensured substantial prizes for the wining participants.
According to vice-mayor Ivan, the event compasses two distinct displays: ?The Youth?s Day? and ?The Folklore?s Day?. The first one gathers youths from Brasov and Codlea, members of the modeling team, several bands such as ?Symbios?, ?Next Level?, Fly Project? and ?Orpheus? within an exhilarating out-door party around a camp-fire.
Petre Buhnici, the manager of the community centre, opened the Folklore?s Day by emphasizing that the event already became a tradition. ?Kronenfest is a summer custom conserved in the area. It?s a feast of flowers, of the abundant vegetation carrying the hope in the land?s fertility. The climax of the display is the hoisting of the mast. Although the number of the German population diminished, the entire community took the relay and continues to celebrate the event as a pastoral party hosted in the glade Maial. Many of the Germans who have long ago emigrated, turn home to attend this enjoyable event?
A 300 years Tradition
There are 475 Germans attending the religious service at the evangelical church, most of them living in mixed marriages. According to Rekkert Rudolf, president of the culture commission within the town hall, Kronenfest is known 300 years old. The first manifestation dates back to around 1700. It continued uninterruptedly until 1990. After 10 years of interruption, the celebration has been retaken, arriving today at the sixth edition.
