The “Eierleset” – The World Comes to Basel Vita Parcours! Get Heart and Soul: A Most Egg-cellent BASELWORLD Going in the Great Basel Welcomes Swiss Tradition Outdoors Blues & Jazz Volume 1 Issue 6 MAGAZINE A Family Guide to Discovering Basel for the Expat Community APRIL 2013 It’s just another busy April 1st in Barfüsserplatz. Or is it? Don’t be fooled, for there are at least 25 things that are not quite right in this photograph. How many can you find? (Find 25 oddities – and you could win a prize! Details inside on page 2.) LIFE TRAVEL E V E N T S DINING LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, MAGAZINE With spring break already upon us, we thought that you APRIL 2013 Volume 1 • Issue 6 would enjoy receiving your copy of Basel Family Magazine a little earlier. It is again filled with information about what TABLE OF CONTENTS to do in the Basel area and, as usual, there is no shortage of events to write about! Be sure to read about BASELWORLD, Basel Traditions: The “Eierleset” 3Basel’s economically most important event that will change the face of our lovely city for eight days. Featured Event: BASELWORLD 2013 4 – 5 In addition to being rich in watches and jewellery, this month is especially rich in musical events, with an impressive line-up of acts for both the Blues Festival April Events in Basel 6 – 7 Basel and the Jazz Festival Basel. There are also a vast number of shows sure to please the whole family or for Special Event / Basel: Jazz Festival Basel 2013 8a great parents’ night out. In addition, the coming of spring brings many try-outs for kids to stimulate their interest in a new sport, and the University of Basel has Fun Family Outings: Beyond Basel 9re-started their Kids Lab and their regular discussions on scientific topics for families. Also, peek inside for infor- Markets and Fairs in Basel 10 mation and tips on really great day outings for your family in Switzerland, France, and Germany, and read this month’s Information Desk to learn about Vita Parcours, a fun way to Did You Know? 11 get back into shape outdoors. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Center Calendar: April 12 – 13 readers who have taken the time to visit our web site to leave us such wonderful feedback. It is both motivating Sports and Recreation 14 – 15 and reassuring to know that we are making the relocation experience for Basel’s expats more fulfilling and enjoyable by sharing our knowledge and passion for this vibrant city. Workshops, Tours, and Education in Basel 16 – 17 If you enjoy reading Basel Family Magazine and be- lieve that you and your colleagues would benefit from receiving it through your workplace, please contact your The Info Desk: Vita Parcours 18 company’s HR or relocation services about working with us to make Basel Family Magazine accessible to all of their expat Ticket Office 19 employees. Wishing you an enjoyable and safe spring break! Entertainment: Parents’ Night Out 20 – 21 Eating Out in Basel: The “Blind Date” Experience 22 Christine Christine Pesold Wine Notes: Chardonnay 23 Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Mark Your Calendar: May 2013 Back Page Basel Family Magazine Contacts Editor-in-Chief: Christine Pesold “ Barfoolserplatz Raffle”— Your Chance to Win! Advertising Manager / If you think that you have found the 25 things wrong with Editor: Susanne Hiller the Barfüsserplatz picture on this month’s cover, write us Art Director: an e-mail entitled “Barfoolserplatz” with your contact Jon Hoefer information and answers to: info@baselfamilymagazine. com. The first six correct responses will receive 2 tickets For more information: front cover photo credit: to Europapark, or family passes to the Erlebniskletterwald [email protected] © jon hoefer /“april fools” www.baselfamilymagazine.com location: barfüsserplatz, basel (Rope Climbing Park) in Lörrach, Germany. Good Luck! BASEL FAMILY MAGAZINE © Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be duplicated in any fashion, or redistributed in any written language, without permission from the executive staff at Basel Family Magazine. It is our goal to provide valuable, timely information to the expat community of Basel. The opinions expressed in the articles in this magazine are those of the contributing authors and do not reflect those of other members of the editorial staff and of any organizations or agencies distributing this magazine. Though we make every attempt to provide accurate information, we cannot be held responsible if any event is cancelled, postponed, or modified. We encourage readers to contact the event organizers or their websites to obtain the most current event information. If you have any questions, please contact Basel Family Magazine staff at: [email protected] 2 BASEL FAMILY MAGAZINE Basel Traditions by Susanne Hiller The “Eierleset”— Not Your Typical Egg-and-Spoon Race photo credits: © tv arlesheim, sv sissach © credits: photo Around the world, many Easter There are several communities near Basel traditions involve the egg, which originally was a pagan symbol of new life and where you can go and watch an Eierleset the renewal that comes along with spring. In Christianity, the egg was considered on Sunday, April 7: a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. In some of the communities around Basel in the cantons of Baselland, Aargau, and Solothurn, however, another egg-related Arlesheim tradition has survived that takes place after Easter—the “Eierleset” (egg race). Location: In the center of Arlesheim, in The origins of this event go back to the 16th century and likely are rather front of the “Trotte” practical: During the lent season preceding Easter, it was not only prohibited to Time: Races start with the children’s eat meat but also eggs. However, the chickens of course kept laying eggs; in fact, race at 13:30; however, they are with the lengthening days and warmer temperatures they would lay more eggs starting out at 11:00 with a than during the winter months. This resulted in large numbers of eggs piling up in brunch, accompanied by a people’s homes that needed to be dealt with. For example, people would pay part jazz band. of their taxes to the Church and the authorities in the form of eggs. But another way to get rid of excess eggs was a friendly competition in the form of an egg race Arboldswil after the lent period ended. For this, several rows of raw eggs, spaced about half a Location: At the sports field Arboldswil meter apart, were laid out and one of the competitors—the gatherer—would have Time: Races start at 11:00; they are to run to the farthest egg in the row, pick it up, and bring it back to the starting followed by an “Eiertätsch” point and drop it in a big vat of water, then run to get the next egg and so on, (scrambled-egg lunch) all without breaking a single egg. At the same time, his opponent—the runner— would run a predetermined longer distance but without picking up any eggs, and Läufelfingen whichever one of the two completed their task first was the winner. Location: In front of the train station The first reliably documented Eierleset in Basel took place at Petersplatz in 1556, Time: Kids’ race at 13:30, where the runner had to run from Petersplatz to Schützenmatt while the gatherer Main race at 14:00 had to pick up 50 eggs. Subsequently, the event was moved to Münsterplatz and typically was held on Easter Monday. In 1789, the date was moved to the Sunday Muttenz after Easter, and that is still the day when these races are held today. In Basel, Location: Behind the church in the upper the last Eierleset on Münsterplatz was held in 1880; in some of the surrounding part of the village communities, however, the tradition has survived until today. Time: 14:00 Today’s races typically are organized by local sports clubs and involve two or more teams competing against each other. Thus, for each team a row of about 100 eggs Pratteln is prepared on the street, with the eggs sitting on little piles of grains. Each team Location: At Schmittiplatz / Hauptstrasse features several gatherers, which may include adults and children, as well as a in Pratteln catcher, because nowadays the gatherers don’t carry the eggs all the way back to the collection site. Instead, they have to throw them the last 5 or so meters to the Time: 14:00; they also have food and catcher, who tries to catch them in a big flat basket filled with grains and chaff. drinks available either outside And since at least some of the eggs are raw rather than hard boiled, a missed catch or in the Alte Dorfturnhalle (old can turn a bit messy for the catcher or others nearby! Also, for the gatherers it is village gymnasium) no longer just a matter of running back and forth to pick up the eggs. No, there Seltisberg are special tasks that they have to fulfill for at least some of the eggs, such as Location: Mehrzweckhalle Seltisberg collecting the eggs while running on stilts, with one (multi-purpose hall) leg tied to that of a partner in a three-legged race, while Time: 14:00-19:00 riding on an office chair or scooter, or while pushing another team member in a wheel barrow, making the Sissach event highly entertaining for spectators to watch. Location: Begegnungszone (pedestrian And once it’s over and all the eggs have been zone) in the center of Sissach gathered, those that did not break during the com- Time: Race starts at 14:00; this is petition are turned into masses of scrambled eggs, to followed by an “Eiertätsch” be shared by competitors and spectators alike! around 16:00.