On 20 and 21 October, young and old can deposit their bags full of conkers and acorns between 7am and 4pm at the Haribo shop on Friesdorfer Straße in Bad Godesberg. Haribo will exchange ten kilos of horse chestnuts for one kilo of gummibears. As they are much harder to collect, only five kilos of acorns will net you the same amount of sweets.

Exactly 80 years ago, the then head of Haribo, Hans Riegel Sr, asked the children in his neighbourhood to collect horse chestnuts for the game in his hunting grounds and he offered the youngsters sweets in return. The children did not need telling twice. A huge event arose out of this barter transaction and families have travelled to Bonn for years from far and wide to be part of it.

Entire streets have to be blocked off around the Haribo factory during the two days. But beware: no more than 50 kilos of autumn fruits are allowed per person and you may not drive up to the factory premises by car.

(Orig. text: Lisa Inhoffen; Kate Carey. Translated by Kate Carey)