The first May tree was already standing Saturday afternoon in Oberbachem. Frank Adam, from the Fire Department in Pech, reported that they had landed a 17-meter birch tree from Kottenforst, a forested area near Bonn. Children from Pech decorated the May tree with colorful ribbons and the elementary school provided music from the choir. Farmers used finesse to put the tree up in exactly the right place using their heavy machinery.

A small festival in Berkum took place with local musicians providing music at the Fire Station. An especially beautiful May tree was put up there, and workers at the Fire Department provided food and drink for the evening, making for an enjoyable village festival. Not far away in Gimmersdorf, a hen named Ella stood in the village square admiring the May tree. She wasn’t alone. The group “Gimmersdorf Aktiv” provided around 40 helpers, big and small to put up the tree and make it look lovely with decorations.

High winds blew off some of the tree decorations from the May tree in Ließem, but the President of the Festival Committee climbed a high ladder to personally put everything, including the tree back into place. A mens’ choir sang in Villip while the new May royal couple was celebrated. Putting up the tree in Friesdorf was a rather professional affair, running very smoothly and followed with food and beverages.

Mehlem and Plittersdorf also celebrated May with singing at the Schaumburger Hof, a church choir from St. Evergislus and trumpeters from the Protestant churches. An audience of around 100 people listened to long-time men’s choir member Werner Spotte and Gereon Lindler. On the market square in Mehlem, it was a motorbike club that erected the May tree. It seems every town across Bonn had their own special way of welcoming in the month of May.

Orig. text: Alfred Schmelzeisen