Events

Bogenfest Innsbruck – A Taste of Summer

Carlos Melgar

24 May 2022

Post originally written in: English

After the rain, the sun will reappear

Truer words couldn’t be spoken about the challenges we’ve all faced for the past few years. Socially, emotionally, culturally, financially and in many other ways, we’ve all been affected one way or another. Bogenfest was the burst of sunshine we all needed.

A mixture of giddiness and uncertainty bubbled within me as Bogenfest approached. The excitement stemmed from years of unfulfilling streamed and metaverse events. The uncertainty from countless “what ifs” we’ve been conditioned to prepare for.

What if people don’t know how to plan events anymore? What if it gets cancelled last minute? What if people don’t show up? What if I don’t know how to bust a move anymore? What if the weather doesn’t cooperate? All fair doubts to throw into the wind.

The morning of the event greeted us with Spring showers. At least one of my uncertainties seemed to be materializing. As luck would have it; the clouds parted, the sun shined through and the rain on the streets began evaporating. The day quickly turned into a warm and humid prequel to summer.

Family Friendly Fun

This must have been the first big social experience for most pandemic babies. It was nice to see so many young kids bouncing around each other, drawing on the streets thanks to Kuenstlerkinder.at , building towers with the holzstoeckerl, chasing bubbles from the hosi tirol stand, experimenting with the countless upcycled noise makers scattered throughout. My daughter was perpetually amazed as she discovered activities every few meters.

Festival Vibes

Whatever your musical taste, Bogenfest had a stage for you. Classical symphony, rocking riffs, rhythmic reggae, ruckus rap battles, jazzy tunes, entrancing dance music and much more.

Dance troops of different disciplines also put on exhibits at one of the stages. Freestyle, break dancing, pop locking. Street Motion Dance Studio really put on a show while being cheered on by a huge crowd. This was one of my favorite moments because my daughter had never seen anything like that in person.

Economic Impact

I felt happy to see so many businesses benefit from a much-needed boost of income. These types of events are essential for many small businesses to survive. The backbone of Innsbruck’s economy is still small business, but that has come under threat as many have been forced to shut down in recent times. Without the presence of small business, cities become enslaved to the huge corporations that undercut the cozy cafés, family-owned eateries, and places that remember you by name. These small businesses are vital for local culture to shine through and prevent places from becoming a cookie cutter food court. It was a pleasure being able to attend and support the pay-what-you-want street cart, enjoy a homemade lemon tart, sip on local beer and much more. We’re even putting in an order for those wooden sticks because our daughter loved it so much.

This felt like a reset moment for me. It was a good reminder that we’re getting back to normal, and should be more willing to get out there and enjoy some of the events and activities that are popping up again.

I don’t know when the next Bogenfest is, but I hope it’s soon!