Organizers Marco Pointner and Kornel Grundner give exciting insights into how the event is organized, especially in difficult times: "We have seen ourselves increasingly responsible for making the World Championships possible for the riders, teams and sponsors, but also for the fans.” Five days of pure action with 15 golden chances – Saalfelden Leogang, the host of the World Championships, gives the heavily adjusted mountain bike calendar a bit of security. Approximately eleven weeks before the start of the UCI 2020 Mountain Bike and Pump Track World Championships, which will take place 7-11 October, the title battles in Downhill, Cross-Country, E-Mountain Bike and Pump Track are taking shape. After consultation with the UCI, organiser Saalfelden Leogang can now officially announce the schedule for the quadruple World Championships. The festivities will start in the usual manner with the Cross-Country Team Relay race on Wednesday, October 7. On the same day, two more medals will be awarded when the E-MTB stars, both women and men, take to the track. On Thursday, the juniors will compete for gold, silver and bronze in Cross-Country. On Friday, the men's U23s will compete in Cross-Country. Afterwards men and women will duel each other on the Pump Track for the coveted rainbow jerseys. The Pump Track competition will signal the end of the third day of competition. The World Championship weekend starts with the U23 Cross-Country women. In the Olympic discipline, the two Elite competitors will then give it their all on the demanding circuit. The final day of competition on Sunday offers four more decisions - all of them Downhill. First, the Junior women and then the Junior men will rocket down the Speedster, before the Women's and Men's Elite finish the quadruple World Championships. Spectator situation still uncertain Despite the uncertainty caused by the Corona pandemic and the resulting difficulty in planning, the organisers are trying to make the title races accessible to spectators. A decision on this has not yet been made. All current information is also available at: www.bikewm2020.com "Prepared for all eventualities" – 3 questions for the organizers Marco Pointner and Kornel Grundner Organizers Marco Pointner, CEO Saalfelden Leogang Touristik, and Kornel Grundner, CEO Leoganger Bergbahnen/Bikepark Leogang, give exciting insights into the origins of the quadruple World Championships and the organizational challenges: How did it come about that Saalfelden Leogang now hosts the quadruple World Championships? Marco: “The UCI contacted us and asked if we saw an opportunity to integrate the Cross-Country and E-MTB competitions of the World Championships from Albstadt into our Downhill and Pumptrack World Championships. After we checked everything internally, it was clear to us that we could tackle a quadruple World Championships and that we wanted to take on the challenge.” What are the biggest challenges right now? Kornel: “The short-term is not optimal and rather unusual. The tracks for the Cross-Country competitions have yet to be completed. But the biggest challenge is that we are prepared for all eventualities. We don’t know how the pandemic will develop. Thus, we are currently working on four different "corona-ready" concepts. First of all for all athletes and teams, then for the entire media sector from journalists to TV teams, for all our own employees and helpers, as well as for spectators along the track and in designated corridors. Of course, we want spectators on the track, that's just part of it and what makes Leogang and mountain bike sport so special. But the top priority is that we can host the World Champs and not endanger anyone.” Nevertheless, the quadruple World Championships is extremely gratifying for the Saalfelden Leogang region, isn't it? Marco: “Of course it's a great thing for us, for the Saalfelden Leogang region and for Epic Bikepark Leogang. We have invested a lot over many years, have developed as a reliable UCI partner and can once again underline our status as a top bike destination. But for us, it was also about the sport, the riders and everything around it. We have increasingly seen ourselves as responsible for making a World Championship possible for the riders, teams and sponsors, but also for the fans.” Upon request, all tours can be accompanied and led by qualified guides of the school Element Outdoorsports as well as an individual training to improve your skills. To make your biking holiday absolutely perfect, special bike hotels such as Salzburger Hof, Bio Hotel Rupertus, Hotel Bacher, Hotel Riederalm, Hotel Ritzenhof, Mama Thresl, Hotel Krallerhof, Hotel Forsthofalm and Hotel Der Löwe and competent bike shops such as Sport Mitterer or Sport 2000 Simon are at your service: www.saalfelden-leogang.com/en/region-experience/bike/bikehotels As of today, Saalfelden Leogang, together with Saalbach Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn, has become Austria's largest bike region The skicircus, the combined name for the three regions during the winter season, will now also work together during the summer, expanding their collaboration to a year-round effort, and creating Austria's largest bike region. The Saalbach Hinterglemm trails are only a stone's throw away from Epic Bikepark Leogang and together, the region offers seven mountains, nine lifts and over 70 kilometres of trails, all ready and waiting to be explored.
When the Austrian government announced on April 17 that it was canceling all cultural events until the end of August due to Covid-19, we were saddened to learn that our festival would be affected as well. A summer without cultural events and without the Saalfelden Jazz Festival seemed to us like a summer without flowers blooming, without birds chirping, and without picnics on green pastures. When it became clear by the end of May that events could take place again if organizers followed certain guidelines, we immediately met in our backyard, turned on the barbecue, and brainstormed ideas that led to concrete plans. That’s how we came up with the JAZZ SAALFELDEN WEEKENDER! Within just a few weeks, we created a music festival for all musical tastes to stand in for our annual jazz festival. Musical events will run the gamut from jazz to pop and will take place on a variety of stages—at the Ranch, the city park, Kunsthaus Nexus, Fuchs bookbindery, the Schloss Ritzen Museum, and on alpine pastures such as Forsthofalm and Stöcklalm. Thanks to Father Alois Moser, concerts will even take place at Saalfelden’s parish church—a first in the festival’s history! The evening concert at the Ranch on August 20 as well as the three music walks on August 21, 22, and 23 will require paid admission. All other concerts in the Saalfelden city center will be free of charge. Day passes for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are now on sale in our online shop: https://www.jazzsaalfelden.com/en/tickets/buy-tickets-online Saalfelden will once again reclaim its status as a music mecca in the middle of the mountains this year—and send out a message of confidence, optimism, and joy! While going forward with our exciting plans, we are also taking the current situation very seriously and will therefore allow only a limited number of guests to our free concerts. In cooperation with our COVID-19 expert, we have developed a comprehensive plan to safeguard the health and well-being of our visitors, artists, and employees at the different venues. Information about safety measures such as compulsory mask-wearing and social distancing can be found at: https://www.jazzsaalfelden.com/en/tickets/Ticket-Info This year, these safety measures require visitors to register for free day passes. Because of the venues’ different sizes, day passes do not automatically guarantee admission, which will be "FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED". We will hang on to our visitors’ personal data for 28 days after the event so that the authorities can track attendees rapidly in case any visitor has tested positive for COVID-19. Each day pass comes equipped with a QR code, which will be scanned directly at the entrances to the venues. Visitors therefore will not have to register at the ticket information booth prior to the event. Please register online: https://www.jazzsaalfelden.com/en/tickets/buy-tickets-online In spite of all these restrictions, we are confident that we can host a successful and—in many ways—very special musical weekend in Saalfelden.
It has recently become available from the Saalfelden Leogang Tourist Office. On 158 pages, the new year-round magazine presents the best of nature, experiences for young and old, cultural offerings and insider tips. The reading material is rounded off with authentic stories from the locals and pictures that awaken a longing for mountains and holidays. ‘Holidays in the mountains’ evokes associations that could not be better fulfilled than here in Saalfelden Leogang: impressive mountain panoramas of the Leoganger Steinberge and the Steinerne Meer, world-class winter sports and the unique Epic Bikepark Leogang in summer, picturesque panoramic trails, extraordinary hikes and cultural highlights. In addition, there are numerous Alpine pastures with excellent Austrian home cooking, a variety of toque-awarded restaurants - honoured by Gault-Millau - and a creative top-class hotel industry that offers incomparable guest experiences. However, it is the locals who make Saalfelden Leogang so unique - their natural hospitality, which stems from a deep, inner contentment. This is partly due to the picturesque beauty of the surrounding nature and partly because the valley's 3,200-year history as a mining centre has significantly shaped its culture. And the local organic farming in Saalfelden Leogang also shows what sustainable management can look like. The new magazine is an expression of this. Marco Pointner, Managing Director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik, is delighted: ‘The new magazine gives an insight into how the beauty of the mountains can be celebrated here in a unique way. Exciting personalities are brought before the curtain and our leading products are perfectly showcased. Saalfelden Leogang offers beautiful nature and exciting activities/events all year round. The region is constantly developing in terms of quality and innovation and is now one of the most important tourist destinations in Austria. This result is only possible because the various service partners in the region pull together. Following the further development of our public image in recent years, it was now also time to work on our printed materials and we are delighted that our new magazine has already been so well received. The magazine inspires locals and guests alike.’ In collaboration with Nectar & Pulse, a creative agency from Berlin with Austrian roots, the new product has been in the making for a year and a half. Christian and Tanja Roos from Nectar & Pulse have already launched numerous travel guides with the title ‘Glücklich in...’ (Happy in...) together with the Süddeutsche Zeitung and are also publishers of an online magazine with a heart. Christian & Tanja Roos are delighted about the collaboration: ‘Saalfelden Leogang has long been one of our favourite regions. For us, it is one of the most beautiful places of longing when it comes to the famous ‘holiday in the Austrian mountains’. We have seen many parts of the world, but this particular region offers a breathtaking slice of what many people fly to faraway countries for. Also in relation to current issues such as the climate crisis and coronavirus, it may become more important to look inwards again, to be grateful and humble for what life offers. Innovative tourism regions in particular can make a major contribution to this. And so we are delighted to have worked together with those responsible for the region on such a great travel guide and to now hold the hot-off-the-press copy in our hands.’
1) ‘The Elephant Man’ After Bernard Pomerance Circus tent Leogang 31 July, 1/8/15 August 2020, each at 8 pm Content: In 1884, the physician Dr Frederick Treves discovers the grotesquely disfigured John Merrick at a London fair, who has been given the nickname ‘the Elephant Man’ by a cruel fate. Partly out of pity, partly out of scientific curiosity, Treves takes the terminally ill man into his clinic. But this merely changes the stage for Merrick: from now on, his life is played out in the glare of the public eye instead of the fairground stalls. But behind the supposedly compassionate attention for him is ultimately just the same sensationalism that Merrick once had to endure at the fair. ‘The Elephant Man’ is the story of an outsider through whose eyes we look into a mirror in which we ultimately recognise ourselves. Joseph Carey Merrick (1862-1890) went down in the annals of the Victorian era as the ‘Elephant Man’. ‘Freaks’ like Merrick were among the most popular attractions at the kingdom's fairs in a sensationalist society that sought - and still seeks - its ideal image of beauty and harmony in disgust at the Other. For more than 20 years, we have been balancing on the fine line between inclusion and ‘showing off’ those involved to satisfy the pure voyeurism of the audience in our attempts to involve people with a wide range of disabilities in professional theatre work. Hardly any other theatre material addresses this tightrope walk as clearly as ‘The Elephant Man’ by Bernard Pomerance. We embark on this tightrope walk self-critically and without safety. Freak show included. With: Anna Adensamer, Salim Chreiki, Gerard Es, Kunigunde Eschbacher, Gerhard Fagerer, Reinhold Gerl, Florian Heis, Kristin Henkel, Josef Kocher, Anna Loch, Alexander Lughofer, Pamina Milewska, Vinko Najdek Live music: Ripoff Raskolnikov Costume: Viktoria Semperboni Stage: Alois Ellmauer Choreography: Anna Adensamer Production: Reinhold Tritscher Legal representation: LITAG Theaterverlag Munich 2) ‘Icarus’ - The dream of flying and crashing ... and of being caught Circus tent Leogang 2/15 August 2020, 5 pm each day Family play from 2019 for everyone aged 5-99 years Content: A story about a father and son, about going astray and coming together, about hopelessness and liberation, about overconfidence and ‘falling flat on your face’, the dream of flying and crashing... and being caught. The story of Daedalus and Icarus is brought to the stage in a playful way with lots of acrobatics and the famous musician Robert Kainar. Acting and acrobatics: Pamina Milewska, Stefan Ried Live music: Robert Kainar Acrobatics training and choreography: Ulfried Kirschhofer Costumes: Lili Brit Pfeiffer Stage: Alois Ellmauer Production: Reinhold Tritscher 3) ‘Fat Pig’ by Neil LaBute Kunsthaus Nexus Saalfelden 6/7/13/14 August 2020, each at 8 pm Content: Helen is almost Tom's dream woman: intelligent, quick-witted, charming - but very fat. So he prefers not to introduce her to his colleagues. With good reason, because as soon as his friend Carter sees a picture of Helen, he forwards it to the whole company by email. And Tom's ex-girlfriend Jenny becomes hysterical when she finds out that Tom is going out with this ‘fat pig’. Helen's weight is not the problem - she has long since come to terms with her fullness. Tom, on the other hand, is increasingly unsettled by the pressure to conform and social control. An astute analysis of a society in which even love is subject to the rules of marketability and the choice of partner has an impact on one's own market value. Acting: Bina Blumencron, Kristin Henkel, Wolfgang Kandler, Alexander Lughofer Costumes: Lili Brit Pfeiffer Stage: Hannes Öhlböck Production: Ben Pascal Performance rights: Rowohlt Theatre Publishers 4) ‘Schnalzen’ - guest performance by kollektiv kollinski Circus tent Leogang 9 August 2020, 8 pm Content: Having worked hard all his life, a farmer finds ‘something strange’ in his field: ‘What is it? What is it doing? Clean it off, says one, pick it up, says the other, but I won't grab it!’ Snapping is archaic, snapping goes through the marrow and bone, snapping is supersonic. SCHNALZEN is a performative parable about the myth of the unknown. The collective KOLLINSKI brings together (puppet) theatre, (folk) culture, (live) snapping and (electronic) music and constructs ‘the unknown’ together with the snapping group from Maria Alm. Director and play development: Simon Windisch Idea, performance and play development: Susanne Lipinski Puppet construction, puppetry and play development: Bethi Nock Music (live and composition): Gudrun Plaichinger Snapping, stomping and making music: Lukas Schnaitl and Martin Hofer (Schnalzergruppe Maria Alm under the direction of Alois Gruber) Puppet coach: Manuela Linshalm SCHNALZEN was created as a co-event with ARGEkultur and was co-financed by the city, state (Salzburg) and federal government. ‘SCHNALZEN is fuelled by contrasts. No stone is left unturned here. Homeland and foreignness are deconstructed with folk culture and the contemporary, with puppetry and the sounds of snails. Broken down into its individual parts, it is up to each viewer to create a new image of the foreign. Indeed, the time seems favourable. If not after an evening like this, then when?’ (Veronika Zangl, culture blog ‘what i saw from the cheap seats’) 5) Inclusive workshop week for children, growing children and adults 10-14 August 2020, 9 am - 4 pm each day As part of the VOLXOMMER festival, an inclusive workshop week for children, growing adults and adults will take place again this year. From 10-14 August, participants can look forward to a wide range of workshops in the fields of drama, music, photography, video art, LandArt, visual arts, acrobatics, dance and a printing workshop under the title ‘Palace of Wonders’. The workshops start at 9 a.m. and can be booked until 4 p.m., including lunch and supervision. It is also possible to book only the morning and/or afternoon workshops. The number of participants per workshop is limited to a maximum of 12 people. Due to the Covid-19 regulations, the workshops take place decentralised in Saalfelden, Lofer, Leogang and Maishofen. The results will then be presented on a smaller scale in the respective locations. The ‘WÜDWUX’ project, funded by the LEADER Salaachtal region, aims to make artistic employment as accessible as possible for all social groups. The workshops are equally suitable for people with and without disabilities and are led by members of the ecce theatre ensemble. No prior knowledge is required. Naturally, we ensure that all necessary safety measures are carefully observed. We would like to thank our funding bodies, partners and sponsors for their support! Sponsors: City of Salzburg, Province of Salzburg, bka Kunst, Municipality of Saalfelden, Leader Region Saalachtal Sponsors: Salzburger Sparkasse, Trumer Privatbrauerei, Leoganger Bergbahnen, Kulturverein Freiraum Partners: Saalfelden Leogang Touristik GmbH, Kulturverein Freiraum Leogang, Museum Schloss Ritzen Saalfelden, Gemeinde Leogang, Kunsthaus Nexus Saalfelden, Lebenshilfe Salzburg, Laube sozialpsychiatrische Aktivitäten GmbH, SZENE Salzburg, ARGEkultur Salzburg, OVAL - Die Bühne im EUROPARK, Hunger auf Kunst und Kultur SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE! Status 9.6.2020
A farm shop in a lovingly converted horse stable, a pick-up station for organic vegetables and a distillery that also produces gin and vodka - these are all stops on the e-bike pleasure tour. The route is just as suitable for e-bike pros as it is for beginners - the important thing is that cyclists bring time for an enjoyable tour. Plenty of bike service is provided on site. A refreshing change from the enjoyable stops is a dip in the Ritzensee lake. Saalfelden Leogang is one of Austria's largest bike regions The bike offer in Saalfelden Leogang is unique, including the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships 2020, the Epic Bikepark Leogang and the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang. New from 2020: Saalfelden Leogang, together with Saalbach Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn, forms Austria's largest bike region, ensuring boundless biking fun. But there is also plenty of pleasure to be had: The tour starts at the Asitz valley station in Leogang and leads via the centre of Saalfelden to the Ritzensee lake. You return to Leogang via Breitenbergham and Uttenhofen. In sober figures, that's 32.8 kilometres, approx. 2.5 hours of riding time and 330 metres in altitude. Much more important than the numbers are the special places, original dishes and exciting producers with their regional specialities. The best for at home from farm shops: an alpaca stable, a converted horse stable and round-the-clock organic vegetables If you want to take a delicious holiday memory home with you, you will find a large selection of Pinzgau delicacies in the Leogang village shop - where you can also buy Leogang organic sausage and meat products. The ‘Gerstbodner Troadladl’, the Ziererhof farm shop, is known for its dairy and cereal products. Off to the stables is the motto at HPH anno 1905 - a village shop that was created from a former, lovingly remodelled horse stable and has already won several awards for its home-made butter. A special farm shop is that of the Saalfelden alpaca stable, which produces a wide range of products from socks to baby sleeping bags from its own alpaca breed. Incidentally, alpaca wool is one of the most valuable and precious natural fibres in the world. If you want to get to know the alpacas, you can book one of the trekking tours and set off in fluffy company. The Stechaubauer organic farm is also definitely worth a stop on the tour. No matter what time of day or night: there are always fresh organic vegetables here. In the vegetable hut, a self-service vending machine where you select your vegetables via touchscreen and then pull them out of the corresponding compartment. Filled leaf doughnuts, honey vinegar and sea buckthorn wild fruit juice Pinzgau and the Saalfelden Leogang region in particular are known for their specialities. You should definitely try the Pinzgauer Bladl. These are filled doughnuts with sauerkraut, which are served on certain days at the Klampfererhof. In addition to culinary specialities, Gasthof Hubertus also serves beer from its own brewery - the Palfen Lassing, a light top-fermented pale ale, is currently the perfect seasonal beer. You should also plan a proper Brettljause at the rustic Sinnlehenalm at an altitude of 950 metres - on the Brettl there is freshly baked bread, bacon and cheese from the alpine dairy. If you fancy something sweet after so much savoury food, you should visit the Höttl apiary. With a show beehive, it provides insights into the fascinating world of bees. The shop sells unusual creations such as honey vinegar or creamed honey with roasted almonds. Fancy something high-proof? At the Tribuser small distillery, you can buy brandies made from raspberries and rowan berries and also taste them in ‘bike-friendly quantities’. It is interesting to take a look inside the distillery. The sea buckthorn products are a speciality, as the sea buckthorn is grown on site. If you fancy even more high-proof spirits, you should plan a tour stop at Herzog's schnapps distillery: In one of the most modern distilleries in Europe, Pinzgau gin and vodka are also produced alongside fine brandies. Lots of services for e-bikers The Saalfelden Leogang region offers very special tours for e-bikers. These include tours through the Steinerne Meer, XXL tours and pleasure tours. If you don't have your own e-mountainbike, you can hire one from Sport Mitterer at the Asitzbahn cable car at any time. The guides from the Elements Outdoorsports bike school have the best insider tips for all tours. For a ‘well-rounded cycling holiday’, there are special bike hotels in Saalfelden Leogang such as the Salzburger Hof, Bio Hotel Rupertus, Hotel Bacher, Hotel Riederalm, Hotel Ritzenhof, Mama Thresl, Hotel Krallerhof, Hotel Forsthofalm and Hotel Der Löwe as well as competent bike shops such as Sport Mitterer or Sport 2000 Simon.
The organisers of the Saalfelden Jazz Festival can be delighted - their poster series for the 40th anniversary, which took place in August 2019, won the 34th T.A.I. WERBE GRAND PRIX 2020 in the ‘Special Jury Prize’ category. The T.A.I. ADVERTISING GRAND PRIX is held annually in the categories of print (posters, catalogues, brochures), TV and radio commercials, websites, online & digital marketing campaigns and social media campaigns. Judging is carried out both by a specialist jury chaired by advertising expert Stefan Schmertzing (Wunderknaben agency) and - and this is what makes the T.A.I. WERBE GRAND PRIX unique - by the public. Submissions that are particularly outstanding in individual areas are honoured by the expert jury with a ‘special prize’. The idea behind the lead subject: interaction and 40th anniversary The theme of the 2019 Saalfelden Jazz Festival, which was developed by the Rahofer advertising agency as in previous years, was ‘Interaction’ in the anniversary year 2019. The story of the sound creatures RRRG, ZOXX, PHNU and NNMA, which emerged from the Sounds of Saalfelden in 2017, reached its dramatic climax last year. After their creation in 2017 and their encounter in 2018, the sound creatures finally began to interact with each other - creating new worlds of sound that manifested themselves in surprising ways. A metaphor for the joy of experimentation and innovation that has characterised the Saalfelden Jazz Festival for over 40 years.
The individual starts at 30-second intervals make the race up Saalfelden's local mountain, which is popular with mountain bikers and mountain runners alike, safe and corona-compliant. For the 8th time, Saalfelden's Biberg is at the centre of the event. As has proven to be the case in previous years, the race will once again start at the valley station of the Saalfelden summer toboggan run and finish at the Biberg mountain inn. The total distance to be covered is 5.5 km and 700 metres in altitude. The first start will be at 6 pm. In order to comply with the Covid-19 measures, the start list will be published on the organisers' website the evening before. Participants can find out their exact start times there. However, as in previous years, late registrations are still possible up to one hour before the start. The award ceremony will take place at the Berggasthof Biberg, exclusively outdoors. In order to ensure fair competition, the best mountain bikers and mountain runners will be determined in different age groups. There will also be an e-bike classification again this year. The coveted Biberg-Hirsch trophy awaits the fastest runners in all competitions.
Every Friday from 3 July to 28 August 2020, hikers can meet artists and cultural professionals at the alpine huts in Saalfelden Leogang. There are various concerts and art workshops. All under the motto ‘Tradition meets modernity’. The best thing about it: you don't have to register or pay anything to take part in the events. All you need to do is hike up to the mountain hut. 03 July 2020, 11.00 am, Steinalm Saalfelden MUSIC HIKING with ‘Styrian Blood’ Hurdy-gurdy virtuoso Matthias Loibner and bass clarinettist and saxophonist Siegmar Brecher meet for the first time in the duo Styrian Blood. At the age of 16, Brecher first heard the brilliant border crosser Loibner with his alternative folk band Deishovida and was enthralled by the sound of the hurdy-gurdy and Loibner's electrifying playing. 20 years later, the appreciation was mutual, because at that time Loibner was the first person brave enough to dance to the sound of Brecher's chamber punk jazz band ‘Edi Nulz’. The basis for the fulfilment of a long-cherished wish was thus laid and nothing stood in the way of an exciting collaboration. Steirabluat is koa Himbeersoft! On the beautiful hiking trail to the Steinalm, there are repeated stops and music. Meeting point at 11.00 am at the Steinalm/Einsiedelei car park 10 July 2020, 1.00 pm, Seealm Leogang CONCERT ‘LE SORELLE’ Four sisters, four instruments, four voices. That's all it takes to give you goosebumps. Armed with guitar, piano, flute, harmonica and their voices, the four sisters from Fieberbrunn present themselves with powerful and modern voices. Their repertoire includes not only cover versions of world hits often set to music, but also new favourites from the charts - always enriched with Le Sorelle's unique style. The four sisters have a feeling for rhythm and melody in their blood and promise a very special musical experience with vocal harmony and new interpretations. 17 July 2020, 1.00 pm, Sinnlehenalm Leogang CONCERT ‘COBARIO’ & HANDICRAFT WORKSHOP Virtuoso, passionate, charming with Viennese humour! Cobario captivates the audience from the very first song and is celebrated with great applause. They passionately play their way through the broad spectrum of world music, touching on classical music and meandering through pop, always musically virtuosic and at the highest level. Manfred Lemberger from Kristallkeller Leogang shows participants how to make jewellery from precious stones. You can create a customised sliver necklace or a bracelet with two pendants in the workshop and then take it home with you. There are many different minerals to choose from. 24 July 2020, 1.00 pm, Örgenbauernalm Saalfelden CONCERT ‘Bock auf Heidi’ The band mixes yodelling with bitter-sweet dialect chansons, German-language ballads and dancey, witty folk songs. The vocal sound of this powerful, dynamic vocal technique from the Alpine musical tradition meets world music, pop and, above all, jazz. The result is an unmistakable mix of folk music and a creatively modernised sound. 31 July 2020, 1.00 pm, Steinalm Saalfelden YODELING COURSE with Thomas Reitsamer During a two-hour yodelling course, yodelling trainer Thomas Reitsamer teaches visitors special breathing techniques, yodelling history and types of yodelling. He accompanies the course on the accordion and together we practise yodelling and Juchitzen. At the end of the course, each participant receives their own yodelling diploma and a text to yodel along to. 07 August 2020, 1.00 pm, Sinnlehenalm Leogang CONCERT ‘RRRITSCH’ RRRITSCH see themselves as a return to Austro-Pop without copying or imitating. With their unconventional and funny programme, consisting of original compositions as well as some Austropop classics, they inspire their constantly growing audience. Rock, pop, folk, loud and soft sounds and all in dialect. RRRITSCH are: Günther Wieland: vocals, guitar; Michael Ritsch: vocals, guitars, banjo, mandolin & ukulele; Gerhard Vogel: bass, drum programming 14 August 2020, 1.00 pm, Steinalm Saalfelden CONCERT ‘Bluesbrauser’ The rolling, musical express train from the Pongau Salzach delta - live and legendary! Musical cabaret meets a cappella, ballads, folk music, world music and combines elements of funk, blues, reggae, soul, pop, rap and jazz. 28 August 2020, 1.00 pm, Peter-Wiechenthaler-Hütte Saalfelden CONCERT ‘Les Cabernets’ The two musicians Julia Klaushofer (violoncello and Elody) and Manuel de Roo (guitar) play tangos, film music, selected romantic classical pieces and music to chill out to. The ALM:KULTUR events only take place in good weather - there are no alternative dates! The weekly guided hikes also lead to the ALM:KULTUR events - these hikes are free with the Saalfelden Leogang Card! Registration for the hikes is possible until the day before at 5.00 pm at Saalfelden Leogang Touristik (Tel: +43 6582 / 70660). The events are organised in accordance with the applicable Corona regulations.
After we learned that COVID-19 restrictions pertaining to artistic and cultural events were easing up, we immediately decided to show the world that the Saalfelden Jazz Festival is alive and well. That’s when the idea for the Jazz Saalfelden Weekender was born. Heralding optimism and confidence, this series of weekend concerts aims to delight music enthusiasts. Even though we won’t be able to follow our usual routine and host concerts on the Mainstage at the Congress Center’s and the town square’s big stages, we will be able to organize a musical happening from August 20 to 23, 2020 with a concert for every taste, from jazz to pop. Concerts will take place in the city park, at Kunsthaus Nexus, on alpine pastures, in the Schloss Ritzen Museum, at the “ranch,” on the roof terrace of the Congress and in the popular Fuchs bookbindery. Additional highlights will include guided hikes with musical accompaniment through the surrounding mountain scenery. Musical acts will include Mario Rom’s Interzone, Krokofant feat. Ingebrigt Haker Flaten & Stale Storlokken, „Training“ feat. Max Andrzejewski & Johnny Schleiermacher, Duo 4675 Astrid & Beate Wiesinger, Fabian Rucker, Katharina Ernst, Lukas Kranzelbinder, the Strottern & Blech, Voodoo Jürgens, Fuzzman, Mira Lu Kovacs, My Ugly Clementine, and many more.
The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Downhill and Pump Track, originally planned for September 4th to 6th, 2020 at Epic Bikepark Leogang, will be moved to October and extended with two extra disciplines. From 7th to 11th October 2020 Saalfelden Leogang will host the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships and in addition to the already confirmed disciplines of Downhill and Pump Track, Cross-Country and E-Mountain Biking will also take place in the Pinzgau region. The UCI, the Austrian Cycling Federation and the region Saalfelden Leogang announce good news for the bike scene: this year will be the second time the UCI Mountain Bike World Championship will take place in Saalfelden Leogang after 2012. As previously confirmed, UCI title battles in Downhill and Pump Track (postponed by more than a month) as well as the two additional disciplines of Cross-Country and E-MTB make this the quadruple World Championships. The world's best riders will transform Epic Bikepark Leogang into the ultimate bike hotspot from October 7th to 11th, 2020 and compete for the coveted rainbow jerseys. The Cross-Country and E-MTB competitions were originally scheduled for the end of June 2020 in Albstadt (GER), but fell victim to the corona crisis. Eight years ago, the picturesque mountain range Leoganger Steinberge and the Steinerne Meer were the backdrop for four World Championship disciplines: Downhill, Cross-Country, Four Cross and Trials. The confirmation of the World Championships, including the new disciplines, brings great anticipation for the World Championship organizer and CEO of Leoganger Bergbahnen Kornel Grundner: "Over the past ten years we have developed into an extremely reliable partner of the UCI. We are currently working through various "Corona-suitable" concepts, because this year in particular it will be a great challenge to be able to hold the World Championships with four disciplines. But thanks to our enormous investments over almost 20 years, we have the infrastructure for such an event and are looking forward to it," said Grundner. Marco Pointner, World Championship organizer and CEO of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik is also enthusiastic: "The past two months have been very nerve-wracking in many aspects. Unfortunately, the World Champs in Albstadt along with some World Cup races have been cancelled, with other World Cup races postponed, to commence not before September. As a result, we have seen ourselves increasingly responsible for making a mountain bike World Championship possible for the riders, teams and sponsors, but also for the fans. The fact that we now have certainty is a great relief and brings huge anticipation for all of us. If the competitions can still take place with fans and spectators trackside, that would of course be the icing on the cake." Whether the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships can take place in front of an audience, as well as information about the schedule, course layout, supporting program and much more, will be announced in the next few weeks. All details are also available at: www.bikewm2020.com Pure riding fun in Austria's largest bike region With the relocation and expansion of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, the good news continues for the Saalfelden Leogang region. Recently, the opening of the Epic Bikepark Leogang on 29 May 2020 was announced. There will be pure riding fun from 11 June when Saalfelden Leogang joins forces with Saalbach Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn to form Austria's largest bike region. Over 70 kilometers of single trails, downhill tracks and flow lines with the corresponding nine mountain railways are included in the new joint bike ticket.
