Information from A – Z
Useful information about Grandls Hofbräu Zelt and answers to your questions.
The parking facilities around the fairground “Cannstatter Wasen” are quickly occupied, so we recommend the approach by public transport.
Detailed information can be found under the following headings:
Getting there: Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest
Getting there: Cannstatter Volksfest
Every year the traditional beer wagon pulled by 6 draft-horses makes it’s grand appearance of the brewery. Whenever the beer wagon is positioned in front of the tent everybody wants to take a picture.
BENZ & CO. stands for around 15 years of expertise in the gastronomy sector. Whether we are providing culinary services for a large-scale event, exclusive gastronomy or classic support for a private party – we guarantee creative cuisine, sustainable production and regional enjoyment. You can find us at our catering facility in Köngen as well as at our new headquarters in Stuttgart. As the new festival host, Marcel Benz, who has been in the catering business since his childhood, will from now on not only bring his expertise as a caterer and organizer of gastronomic events, but also a breath of fresh air: the focus will be on modern, culinary influences that will raise our cuisine to a new level.
Our beer tent, which offers space for several thousand visitors, is constructed and decorated twice a year with enormous effort. When looking behind the scenes, it quickly becomes clear that the construction team is performing an almost unbelievable performance; the effort to provide guests with a smoothly functioning infrastructure is immense.
Having 3,8 million visitors, the „Cannstatter Volksfest“ is the biggest fair in the world. Approximately 330 fairground rides, carneys and landlords of breweries work to make this Festival to one of the most beautiful and manifold Festivals in the world. The Dimensions of the „Cannstatter Volksfest“ are huge – yet the festival does not lose its original character: The party is going on in the beer tents while the carousels, loop the loop, and a ferris wheel of 60 meters are waiting for you outside. Also the mix of gastronomical offers is coherent – as well as the harmonious mixture of our guests – 70 per cent live in the region and celebrate together as friends.
“Göckele” – this is how the Swabians fondly call their crunchy chicken. The origin of the Grilled Chicken is not in Germany though. They were “invented” in Hispaniola. French and Native people started to broil animals on a rotary spit – soon this way of preparing food was called “Barbe à Cul” (“From head to toe”). This “Barbe à Cuel” was inspired the Americans to their “Barbecue”. The Swabians yet improved this broiling of the chicken and created a tempting blend of spices so that by now no one can resist their great taste – and when you smell them your mouth surely is going to water!
Lederhosen and Dirndl are getting more popular every year on the fairground „Cannstatter Wasen”. It is considered good manner to present oneself in a fancy traditional costume at the Festival. A dirndl does not only emphasize the Wasen-Feeling but also looks highly glamorous worn by every woman.
The energy consumption of a beer tent is huge: From building up until dismantling the whole tent uses an amount of about 35.000 kW. But please don’t worry: you can enjoy the party without a guilty conscience in Grandls Hofbräu Zelt because the CO2 emission of the tent is compensated by specific activities. At the same time, we rely on green electricity, which is produced in Stadtwerke Stuttgart’s state-of-the-art water and wind power plants.
It’s not a big secret that the building and running of a beer tent uses a lot of energy. Also it’s not possible to deliver all of the food and beverages by bike to the tent. These are some of the reasons for Hans-Peter Grandl to get involved with the energy consumption. Based on a voluntarily decision and in collaboration with “NatureLifeInternational“ – a foundation for environment, education and sustainability” Hans-Peter Grandl finances the planting of trees. At present, he occasioned and financed the planting of ten hectare of the tropical forests in Sri Lanka. Due to this action, the CO2 emissions that are linked with the energy consumption of the tent shall be reduced.
On the fairground „Cannstatter Wasen” every Wednesday is a family day. Almost all of the carnival rides offer special conditions (e.g. a reduced price) and also the Gandls Hofbräu Zelt provides a value for you: You can buy a tasty meal for every kid for a reduced price including a soft drink and a small surprise fom noon to 5 pm. And also the parking fees are calculated fairly: Parking on the fairground “Cannsatter Wasen” in the afternoon costs only half of the normal price.
Like a bird belongs to the air, like the sun belongs to the moon, that’s how Grandls Hofbräu Zelt belongs to the Wasen. At the „Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest“ the tent offers 3.950 seats and at the “Cannstatter Volksfest” it even offers more than 5.000 seats. This makes the Grandls Hofbräu Zelt undisputedly belonging to the champion’s league on the fairground “Cannstatter Wasen”.
The best chance to hatch a flirt is to visit Grandls Hofbräu Zelt! If Casanova would have visited the fairground „Cannstatter Wasen” he would have visited Grandls Hofbräu Zelt for sure!
For our Grandls Hofbräu Zelt we source green electricity from the “Stadtwerke Stuttgart”. The “Stadtwerke Stuttgart” is currently operating a total of 31 wind turbines at six locations in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, saving around 140.000 tons of harmful CO2 per year.
Since 1983 the famous soccer players of Stuttgart award the “Goldener Vollstreffer” to personalities from the fields of culture, sports and social affairs. Winners include the Olgäle foundation president Stefanie Schuster, the former Lord Mayor of Stuttgart Manfred Rommel, former “Kickers” president Axel Dünnwald-Metzler, entrepreneur Uli Endress, concert promoter Michael Russ, exhibition manager Ulrich Kromer from Baerle, SWR presenter Matthias Holtmann and in.Stuttgart CEO Andreas Kroll. In 2017, the festival organizer and restaurateur Hans-Peter Grandl was included in the ranks of the prominent award winners. For his social and ecological commitment Grandl was awarded the “golden bull’s-eye”.
Hans-Peter Grandl is a landlord of brewery, “Festwirt”, by life’s calling – on stage and behind the scenes. Hans-Peter Grandl wants to address a big thank you to all of the guests, that every year make the Grandls Hofbräu Zelt to what it is: The most frequented address on the fairground “Cannstatter Wasen”.
Motorsport events, concerts and events such as the „Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest“ or the “Cannstatter Volksfest” have one thing in common: the greater the visitor frequency and the more varied the sound sources, the greater the noise level. In our beer tent it also is – especially in the evening – sometimes loud, but always within legal requirements. With our own measurements, we continuously check and document the sound level in our beer tent. The basis is a sound level measuring system for event monitoring according to DIN 15905-5 and SLV noise monitoring according to DIN 45645 and EC guideline 2003/10 / EG and BGV B3. However, because the perception of loudness and the perception of noise vary from guest to guest, we offer earplugs that reduce the sound pressure and protect the ears in the reservation office. Please ask your waiter or a security guard where to find the reservation office.
On behalf of the beer tent proprietor Hans-Peter Grandl the “Königlich Württembergische Hofbräu-Regiment” was founded – and a festival without them is indispensable. Their trademark is their invasion to the stage with their stunning uniforms and their German spiked helmets. Once they fire off their cannon the party gets started. The musicians of “Hofbräu Regiment” surely know how to heat up a party! This is why their fan community gets bigger every day. The name of their fan club is – what else could it be – “reservist – club”.
A spectacle like the „Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest“ or the “Cannstatter Volksfest” needs to be organized perfectly. More than 300 showmen, marketer and landlords of breweries need an experienced contact person – on the fairground „Cannstatter Wasen” it’s the employees of the in.Stuttgart Event Company that can help everyone. Not that the company would have to work a lot to organize these two huge events – they also care about every other event in Stuttgart. Also directed by in.Stuttgart: The “Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Hall”, the “Porsche-Arena”, the Center of Culture and Congress “Liederhalle” and every event in downtown Stuttgart as well as in the “Killesberg” park.
Only the best things from the region are being served to you from our kitchen: Ingredients that are produced ecologically for example the “Beef de Hohenlohe” and the high quality meat of pork from the swabian region guarantee a prime quality and the experience of good taste, that you will enjoy. Our crunchy grilled chicken, made with delicious butter oil is extremley popular. A real highlight is our ox roaster and the field-grown organic ducks that you can find on our menu recently.
A good source for lyrics is the book “uff’m Wasa”, written by folk festival connoisseurs Carolyn Hutter and Hans-Peter Grandl. The Wasenbuch includes the texts of the most popular Wasen hits.
Seated right in the middle of the beer tent or more exclusive seats in the side boxes? In Grandl’s Hofbräu Zelt you have the choice. With 3.750 seats (“Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest”) and 5.800 seats (“Cannstatter Volksfest”) every guest will find their favorite place.
A Party in the Grandls Hofbräu Zelt without the the entertainer Luigi? Unthinkable! As a famous man and singer he’s liked by the entire audience for many years.
The “Maß” = measure is the old German term for a “measured quantity”. Translated to the beer tent: One liter of freshly brewed beer, served in a “Maßkrug” = mug of beer.
Marcel Benz’s personal history is closely linked to gastronomy and the development of event catering. At his parents’ Hotel-Restaurant Schwanen in Köngen, he internalized the role of the host from an early age.
After his training as a hotel manager at the Hotel Schlossgarten in Stuttgart, he spent several years working for well-known event caterers. At Kofler & Kompanie in Frankfurt, at Käfer in Munich or at Do & Co. in Vienna, he developed a flair for innovative food concepts. Among other things, he gained trend-setting experience as a project manager in VIP catering for Formula 1. Influenced and inspired by this time, he decided to develop the in-house party service of the Hotel-Restaurant Schwanen into a culinary think tank for sophisticated events.
Since its foundation in 2009, he has established BENZ & CO. as one of the most successful and innovative service providers on the regional event market.
The middle section of the tent is called “Mittelschiff”, the side boxes are called “Logen”.
You think that a morning pint is old fashioned? Then you’re going to be really surprised when you visit our tent on Saturday or Sunday a few minutes past 11am! Word got around that one can close ranks and celebrate at the Wasen morning pint in Grandls Hofbräu Zelt. Our brass band with 25 members not only make impressive music they also make a great appearance. With every new performance on stage they once again prove that a morning pint with marching music is everything but dowdy. Morning Pint in Grandls Hofbräu Zelt: Every Saturday and Sunday and on German holidays starting at 11am.
The competition at the “nail board” in Grandls Loge is not yet an Olympic Event. But it’s only a matter of time until they are declared to be an Olympic Event since they are being held with great ambition every night.
When you enter the Grandls Hofbräu Tent on the “Cannstatter Wasen” it’s hard not to notice: our great Ox Roaster: Here the delicious oxen of the Region of “Hohenlohe” are being roasted – one just has to try a yummy slice!
Weekdays the parking on the Wasen is a bargain. From 11am – 2pm the parking fee is only 1 Euro! The delicious food in Grandls Hofbräu Zelt is another good reason to spend the lunch break on the fairground “Cannstatter Wasen”. So what are you waiting for? Your company canteen will be there for you next week.
Pictures and videos are taken regularly in Grandls Hofbräu Zelt for promotional and documentary purposes. Press representatives also are visiting our beer tent with their cameras and also a webcam documents the event. Anyone staying in Grandl’s Hofbräu Zelt must expect to appear on pictures or / and videos. By entering our beer tent, the visitor therefore irrevocably agrees that the picture, film and video recordings made of him may be used, published and broadcasted in any manner and free of charge.
The protection of minors is very important to us. Celebrating inside of the tent, meeting friends and enjoying oneself… all of this should also be possible for minors – but only if all the rules, that the German protection of minors law formulates, are being maintained. We support this law by checking everyone’s ID, providing information, and by instructing our employees.
Our statement is easy to understand: Best quality and best service. The most important supplier for the food is the alliance of manufacturers of Schwäbisch Hall, which contains more than 1.000 farming family businesses. The meat for our Schnitzel and our roasted pork arise from the Schwäbisch Hällischen pork, the meat of the roasted ox on the spit origins from beef of the Hohenlohe, and the field-grown organic ducks also were raised in the region of Hohenlohe. It’s always best to work with the best ingredients – even if they are a little bit more expensive.
Everybody wants to have a seat in Grandls Hofbräu Zelt – that’s why they are sold out very quickly. Whoever wants to be part of the biggest party in Stuttgart in spring or fall should not hesitate for too long. Our tip for you: Make your reservation right now! We would be sorry to miss you – and you would have to miss out on the party.
The legislative authority in Baden-Württemberg allows smoking inside of the tent. We built in a powerful artificial ventilation that’s able to exchange the air inside of the tent at the push of a button so that smokers and non-smokers can celebrate side by side.
On the one hand it’s very easy to spend a whole day on the fairground “Cannstatter Wasen”. On the other hand there are a lot of landmarks, tourist features, and adventures to be seen. The city has a lot to offer and you should stay in Stuttgart a little bit longer. Why don’t you visit Stuttgart Marketing: on the website www.stuttgart-tourist.de you can find a lot of tips and information on your stay in Stuttgart and can also book hotels and city tours there.
You know that it’s time to celebrate and have a party when the first rays of sun are announcing that spring will be here very soon. The biggest and most visited Spring Festival in Europe is offering a lot of things: starting with the traditional chairoplane, the water rail or the roller coaster with a double looping. Approximately 1,5 million visitors come every year. The Stuttgart Spring Festival is open Monday through Thursday from noon – 11pm and Fridays, Saturdays and the days before a German Holiday until midnight. On the Weekends and on Holidays the Fest starts at 11am.
Stuttgarter Hofbräu is one of the major regional breweries in Germany. With passion, craftsmanship and finest ingredients are brewed just in time for the “Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest! and the “Cannstatter Volksfest” a very special spicy beer. The craftsmanship of the master brewers and the short delivery time to our beer tent guarantee a maximum of freshness: from Heslach, the location of the brewery, to our beer tent, it is just eight kilometers.
In Grandl’s Hofbräu Zelt we have been pursuing a well thought sustainability strategy for many years. We carefully select our suppliers accordingly. For example, all the bread rolls – which at least are 150.000 pieces – are baked from regionally produced organic flour in a nearby bakery. We also do not compromise on meat and sausage products. Our most important partner, the „Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall” with more than 460 organic farms, provides a quality of meat for us that has been produced according to particular strict guidelines. For example, during the fattening period, the animals only receive in-house feed, purchased feed must be obtained from the immediate vicinity of the farm.
Whoever visits Grandls Hofbräu Zelt surely agrees with us: our team accomplishes great things. Without the kitchen crew, the technicians in our fest tent, the employees of the reservation office, the cleaning power, the indefatigable serving staff, the musicians of the bands, the entertainer Luigi and the security staff in the Festival tent, an atmosphere like the one you’ll find in Grandls Hofbräu Zelt everyday starting in the morning until the end in the night wouldn’t be possible.
Some say that “the Grandele” is a magic potion. We can tell you that it’s not a magic potion but champagne, that’s served in an iced stein. However the effect, which “the Grandele” achieves, can truly be described as magical.
Some consider it the “Trachten-terror”, some are looking forward to getting dressed in the festive dirndl months ahead. It’s a fact that Lederhosen and Dirndl are getting more popular on the Wasen every year. Meanwhile it’s considered good manners to present oneself in a fancy traditional costume at the Festival.
“Eat bread and drink beer as is custom in the country.” Many traditions are preserved around the „Stuttgarter Frühlingfest“ and the “Cannstatter Volksfest”. The absolute highlight is the annual „Cannstatter Volksfest“ parade. On the first Sunday of the “Cannstatter Volksfest”, around 3.000 participants and countless floats and carriages make their way through the streets of the city of Bad Cannstatt and on to the fairground “Cannstatter Wasen”, passing 100.000 people in the streets.
Enjoying oneself, and having fun at the fairground “Cannstatter Wasen” is more popular than ever. But even the regular festival goer doesn’t know about the history and setting of the „Cannstatter Volksfest“. What, for example, does a volcano eruption in Indonesia have to do with the founding of the “Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest”? Or what does the castle of solitude have to do with the pillar of fruit? All these questions and many more are answered by Carolyn Hutter and Hans-Peter Grandl, who know the fairground „Cannstatter Wasen” by heart. On top of it all you’ll also find the most famous Wasen-songs, the swabian dictionary, and a beer tent overview within. To make a long story short: The ultimate Wasen book is a must-have for everyone who likes the fairground “Cannstatter Wasen”!
With 3,8 million visitors the „Cannstatter Volksfest“ is the biggest fair in the world. Approximately 330 fairground rides, carneys and landlords of breweries make this Festival one of the most beautiful and largest Festivals in the world. The Dimensions of the „Cannstatter Volksfest“ are huge – but the festival does not lose its original character: The party is going on in the beer tents while the carousels, loop the loop, and a ferris wheel of 60 meters are waiting for you outside. Also the mix of gastronomical offers is apparent – as well as the harmonious mixture of our guests: 70 per cent live in the region and celebrate together side by side.
The event area in Stuttgart Bad Cannstatt where the „Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest“ and the “Cannstatter Volksfest” take place is called “Wasen or the Cannstatter Wasen”. You can see who’s a real Swabian right away: a real Swabian uses the right article “der Wasen” instead of “die Wasen” (like it’s used for the October Fest in Munich).
Tradition and homeland are very important. The common concern of the “Ranzenträger” is to preserve and continue the tradition of Württemberg. And because the „Ranzenträger“ are all men of action, they established the “Queen Katharina fund”. Based on the social work of Queen Katharina, the fund supports concrete sustainability projects in the areas of nature conservation, education and culture. Patron of the fund is his highness Michael Duke of Württemberg. The technical and financial organization of the fund is in the hands of the Ludwigsburg sustainability foundation “NatureLife-International”. The connecting symbol of the association is the “Württemberg-Ranzen”, a big belt that is custom-made for every single carrier in handcraft. In the areas of southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol, this “Ranzen” is a valuable part of the traditional costume for centuries.
In Grandls Hofbräu Zelt we don’t pretend that an X is a U. Our simple credo is: Best quality – best service. And if something was not what you had expected we ask for your information so we know what to change. Thank you!
Yeti hasnt been seen in GRANDLS HOFBRÄU TENT yet – but everyone else has.