U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Alexander Yazzie, senior enlisted advisor at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC), taps the keg during the 50th annual German-American Volksfest opening at JMRC near Hohenfels, Germany, May 1, 2024.
U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria hosted the opening of the fest at the Festplatz, bringing American Soldiers, families, civilians, retirees, and local Germans together for traditional German food, carnival rides, and live-music performances . (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Rebecca Call)
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JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany — Crowds of visitors to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center gather for the 50th annual Hohenfels German-American Volksfest May 5, 2024 at the installation’s festplatz. From May 1 to 5, community partners came to Hohenfels to enjoy rides, eat fest food and to gain a glimpse of how the U.S. Army operates in Germany. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs)
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JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany — Musicians play to a crowd at Joint Multinational Readiness Center during the 50th annual Hohenfels German-American Volksfest May 5, 2024 at the installation’s festplatz. From May 1 to 5, community partners came to Hohenfels to enjoy rides, eat fest food and to gain a glimpse of how the U.S. Army operates in Germany. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs)
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JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany — Visitors to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center enjoy the fest-tent ambience at the 50th annual Hohenfels German-American Volksfest May 5, 2024 at the installation’s festplatz. From May 1 to 5, community partners came to Hohenfels to enjoy rides, eat fest food and to gain a glimpse of how the U.S. Army operates in Germany. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs)
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JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany — Crowds of visitors to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center gather for the 50th annual Hohenfels German-American Volksfest May 5, 2024 at the installation’s festplatz. From May 1 to 5, community partners came to Hohenfels to enjoy rides, eat fest food and to gain a glimpse of how the U.S. Army operates in Germany. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs)
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JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany – Over the course of five days, the Hohenfels military community and its partner communities celebrated decades of friendship during the 50th annual German-American Volksfest May 1 through 5, 2024, at the military installation’s Festplatz.
The event opened with a keg tapping, performed by Command Sgt. Maj. Alexander Yazzie, the command sergeant major of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center.
The opening ceremony took place in a large beer tent, lined with wooden tables with a music stand in front and crowds of Germans and Americans eating and drinking traditional fest food.
Col. Justin Y. Reese, the commander of the JMRC operations group, welcomed the gathered crowd.
The beer tent dominated one end of the festplatz, and a Ferris wheel rose above the other end, spinning in place as occupants rode round. Between the two large attractions, festgoers passed between two lanes with other rides such as bumper cars for most ages and merry-go-rounds for smaller children. The smell of fish on small sandwiches, candied nuts, and roasted meats drifted through the crowds as well.
In addition to hosting the event, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria had members of its workforce development team out to talk to festgoers about the career opportunities available during the festival.
Different musical acts played throughout the event, and different days yielded new offerings for festgoers. The third day of the fest was Family Day, with children receiving facepainting and glitter tattoos. The fourth day, Saturday, members of the German Bundeswehr and U.S. Army showed up with their equipment (helicopters, transports, unmanned aerial systems), and they talked with curious attendees. On the final day of the festival, buses took many through the main garrison cantonment and into the vast training area where the U.S. and its allies train together.