Offenbach: More attractive through festivals | Offenbach

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The population in Offenbach should choose two new events from ten suggestions. The aim is to revitalize the city center and strengthen trade.

A drone race in downtown Offenbach including a laser show. A mobile go-kart track on the banks of the Main. A pop-up beach club in the city courtyard. What sounds strange at first, are three out of ten specific suggestions for new festivals in Offenbach. “It takes other, additional reasons to come to the city center. Shopping alone is no longer enough, ”explains Mayor Felix Schwenke (SPD). Part of this is to expand the festival program as part of the downtown future concept. That will help revitalize the city center and stabilize the pillar of trade.

“The events are calculated from A to Z. We can implement that directly, ”says Andreas Herzog, managing director of the stadium company Bieberer Berg, whose task it was to develop new concepts. It was about not organizing standardized events, but about being a little crazy and creative. “We want to bring the city forward and involve everyone.”

Because the Offenbachers are allowed to vote on the ten proposals from Friday. The ten proposals are presented in detail on the city’s homepage, after which each festival can be rated for three to four weeks using a star system, similar to online reviews. In addition to the three mentioned, you can choose from: a dart event, an ice rink on Aliceplatz, a medieval market, an ice championship, a street soccer cup, public viewing for the European Championship or World Cup and a picnic event dinner in white. The two first-placed ideas are to be implemented as soon as the coronavirus pandemic allows. Next year at the latest.

“The aim is always to involve the weekly market, the clubs and the catering trade, if that is possible,” said Schwenke. The whole thing is financed from the 150,000 euro budget of the city marketing program. “The Feste concept shows that visible and tangible results are now getting closer. That gives courage and can give the actors confidence in the uncertain times, ”says Markus Weinbrenner, the general manager of the Offenbach Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK). OB Schwenke emphasizes that it is a development process; two new festivals were just the beginning. “There will be completely different new ideas.” The parties that were not chosen in the first round would also have a chance in the future. It is clear that one will watch out for clashes with existing events. “Once the events are up and running, new organizers will be lining up.”

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