About 900 children and young people from singing and dance groups brought the traditions of the German community in Sibiu to the public last weekend.
The Maifest (May Festival) which is one of the most popular holidays in the Saxon community, drew some 2,000 spectators, including tourists some from as far as Japan, who delighted in the traditions and customs that the ethnic Saxons first brought to Romania in the 12th century.
Thousands of Transylvanian Saxons emigrated to Germany under communism abandoning their homes and churches, but in recent years there has been a revival of the community, which is known for its tolerance, cheerful and charming traditions and organizational and promotional skills.
A key motor in the revival is the Haferland Festival which takes place in summer in ten villages in the Oat Country, a swath of land dotted with fairy-tale villages and heritage churches where the industrious community settled and thrived.
After an exodus of the ethnic German community, the region suffered economic and social decline in the post-communist years. But its fortunes began to turn after entrepreneur Michael Schmidt and Peter Maffay, a famous German musician of Romanian origin set up the festival 14 years ago which shone a spotlight on the region.
Maifest, which is organized by the Democratic Forum of Germans in Sibiu, is another major event that celebrates the community and its traditions. It began in the early 1990s and it is now in its 33rd edition. This year saw 39 dance and musical groups perform in Sibiu’s picturesque historic center.
A brass brand led a parade with, crossing Huet Square, the Bridge of Lies, and Piata Mica. Onlookers applauded children dressed in traditional costumes.
“It’s very nice. We are glad that we can see something like this, it has a historical value. The whole city has a lot of history behind it. Congratulations for taking care of your past,” a Japanese tourist told Turnul Sfatului.
Tourists said they were impressed by the large number of ethnic Germans at the festival.
Organizers said Maifest, “proposes a day dedicated to cultural diversity and traditions, in an atmosphere of celebration and community”.
Photos of Maifest 2026 by Mihail Nistor of Focus
