The annual Procession of the Holy Blood will take place in Bruges, Belgium, this year on May 14. (iStock)
Those with a kind of nostalgia for a time they never knew will often find their happy places at medieval or historical-themed festivals, staged events in which attendees can enjoy activities such as watching battle reenactments or falconers demonstrating how they handle birds of prey. Those with a soft spot for true history, however, might prefer to search out events featuring historical reenactments or traditional pursuits unfolding in the very same places they’ve been carried out for centuries already.
Munich, Germany: While Bavaria’s capital city plays host to one of the world’s best-known celebrations, plenty of locals would surely skip the Oktoberfest in favor of the Auer Dult, a thrice-a-year fun fair, market and gathering spot rolled into one.
The event takes its name from Au, nowadays part of the city proper but in centuries past an outlying suburb. Originally a church fair first mentioned in writing in 1310, guests of today can do much the same as their forebears: eat, drink, test their skills in games of chance or check out market stalls in search of useful household items. The market is known for its wide assortment of porcelain in particular. The rides to be found here, including swings, carousels and bumper cars, tend to be more nostalgic than high-tech.
The fest takes place on the Mariahilfplatz, easily reached by tram line 18 or a 20-minute walk from the city center. Dates of the Auer Dult in 2026 are as follows: Maidult: April 25-May 3; Jakobidult: July 25-Aug. 2; Kirchweihdult: Oct. 17-25. Online: tinyurl.com/4nmcm3zp
Zell am Ziller, Austria: Stunning Alpine scenery sets the backdrop to the Gauder Fest, a four-day celebration of Tyrolean culture and tradition. What’s billed as the country’s largest spring and traditional costume festival traces its roots to parish festivals and market days dating back to the 15th century or even earlier and retains many authentic customs such as “Ranggeln,” a form of Alpine wrestling. Beer lovers can look forward to sampling Gauderbock, a strong, slightly sweet and golden beer brewed specifically for the fest. Fun fair rides, livestock exhibitions, market stalls and folk music performances round out the offerings of this festival set to play out April 30-May 3. The program highlight, a procession of decorated floats, historical coaches and more than 2,000 marchers dressed in traditional attire (Trachten), begins at 11:30 a.m. on May 3. Online: gauderfest.at
Bruges, Belgium: On Ascension Day each year, the citizens of this exquisitely preserved city recall the suffering of Jesus Christ through the staging of the Procession of the Holy Blood. In a ritual that’s been carried out since 1304, a four-part story unfolds. The evocation begins with scenes from the Old Testament from creation to the time of Moses, emphasizing the promise of the coming of a savior. The second part depicts scenes from the life of Jesus from his birth in Bethlehem to his ministry, death and resurrection. The third section recounts how the relic of the Holy Blood, a bloodstained cloth, was brought from Jerusalem to Flanders following the Second Crusade. In the final part of the ceremony, members of the religious fraternity known as the Noble Brotherhood of the Holy Blood walk through the streets alongside the shrine in which the precious relic is stored. More than 1,800 participants sing, play music, dance and act as part of the procession. The 2026 edition of the Procession of the Holy Blood will take place on Thursday, May 14. It begins near the Dijver canal at 2:30 p.m. and concludes at the Burg Square some three hours later. It’s free to watch the procession while standing along its route; various seating options are also available at a cost of 5.50 euros and up. Online: tinyurl.com/4vudyab6
Assisi, Italy: The term Calendimaggio refers to four days of celebration based on ancient pagan rites to honor the return of spring. Even in the times of its most famous son St. Francis, born in the 12th century AD, this medieval hilltop town in Umbria has marked the changing of the seasons with song, dance and serenades beneath the balconies where young ladies dwelled.
Age-old chronicles inform us that by the early 14th century, Assisi had reached the height of its splendor. But it was a town divided. Two rival families competed for control of the town, with one in charge of the “Parte de Sotto” and the other holding sway over the “Parte de Sopra.” Despite the ongoing clashes, these rivalries were set aside to celebrate the arrival of spring.
New life was breathed into these ancient rites in 1954, when a challenge between the upper and lower areas of the city’s modern urban layout was set forth: which part of town could more convincingly evoke the spirit of times before through their music, costumes and pageantry? To date, these two factions face off in a challenge that always begins on the first Wednesday to fall after May 1, with a jury deciding which part of town has offered the most evocative rendering.
The 2026 edition of Calendimaggio is set to play out May 6-9. In addition to the daily competitions and street performances, program highlights include challenges in crossbow, tug of war and other games beginning at 3:30 p.m. May 7 and the historical parade starting at 4 p.m. May 9. Entry is free; seating is available at extra cost. Online: calendimaggiodiassisi.com
