The success stories of companies like Apple, Google and Co. are world famous. What do they have in common with the Eben Dirndl Dress Sunday have in common? They all started in a garage. Cäzilia Althuber, chairwoman of the Eben Women’s Traditional Costume Club, tells us today exactly what Dirndl Dress Sunday is and why it is celebrated.
The Dirndl dress and Lederhosen are associated with Austria all over the world – also because of movies such as “The Sound of Music.” We don’t all wear dirndls and lederhosen every day, as is sometimes assumed. Yet hardly a festival goes by without them. Some regions or places even have their own traditional costumes – such as “s’Ebener Gwandl“, the Ebener Village Costume. In the course of the Salzburg Harvest Festival this year for the first time an own Harvest Festival Dirndl Dress has been chosen. It is no secret that traditional costume is very important in our region. Several associations, such as the Eben Women’s Traditional Costume Club, the Eben Village Band or the D’Burgstoana Local History Society, have therefore made it their business to live this appreciation and to preserve traditions for future generations. And traditions are most beautiful when you can experience them together – as on Dirndl Dress Sunday, when the “Girls and Boys” proudly wear their traditional costumes. “That’s exactly why it would be great if this day were celebrated in the future in even more communities in the country,” hopes Cäzilia, who also serves as deputy chairman of the Salzburg Local Heritage Clubs and Pongau’s Traditional Costume Speaker.
On September 10th 2023, Dirndl Dress Sunday will be held for the ninth time in Eben im Pongau. “In the Province of Salzburg province, this day has already been celebrated for 20 years in various communities, on the initiative of the regional association of the Salzburg Local Heritage Clubs. Since the foundation of the ” Eben Women’s Traditional Costume Club” Dirndl Dress Sunday is also celebrated in Eben.” On this special day, everyone is invited to wear traditional costume and thus give it a special appreciation. The colourful fabrics of the dirndl dresses, sleeveless jackets and shirts create a colourful scene in the Church Square, where everyone meets up at approx. 08:15 am. Afterwards everyone is invited to the morning mass in the Eben Parish Church. The organization of the mass is very important to Cäzilia: “The musical accompaniment should be something special.” This year, the group “Zeitlang Musi & Gsang”, a quintet consisting of musicians from Eben and Bavaria, will accompany the Mass. The fact that Dirndl Dress Sunday is always celebrated on the second Sunday in September is no coincidence: September 13th is the day St. Notburga is commemorated. She is considered by Catholics as Patron Saint of Traditional Costume wearers and promoters. Not just a club Sunday.
The Ebener Trachtenfrauen are particularly pleased about the appreciation of the traditional costume association which is always shown on this day. “We experience a lot of support – the parish is always open to a Mass arrangement that suits the day.” In addition to the musical accompaniment a statuette of St. Notburga, which the Eben Women’s Traditional Costume Club carries instead of an association flag is a must at the mass. The parish can also be relied upon: “At the first Dirndl Dress Sunday we wanted to sit together after the mass still – then we asked the mayor if we could set up a few beer tables in the car park. At that time, there were only 50 of us,” the master tailor recalls with a smile. Today the club already has 135 members, who look forward to their club Sunday anew every year. The beer benches in the garage gave way to morning music and drinks with the Eben Village Band at the Restaurant Schwaiger, whose team, apart from the good hospitality, always provide table decorations. All these factors make this day something special. Over the years more and more people from Eben and the surrounding area take the opportunity to wear their traditional costumes. “The most beautiful thing about it is that many generations come together and spend a cozy and sociable day with family and friends.” What about you – do you like to wear traditional costume, and what does it look like in your region? Send us a photo of your favourite costume!
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What about you – do you like to wear traditional costume, and what does it look like in your region? Send us a photo of your favourite costume!
Bildnachweis: Ebener Trachtenfrauen, Angi Pfuner