Zug,21.10.2013

Zug Fair opened in High German for first time

For the first time in its history, the 42nd Zug Fair was opened on Friday by presenter Fabienne Bamert speaking in High German and not in Swiss dialect on such an occasion, out of courtesy to visitors from French-speaking Vaud, the guest canton this year.
 
Joining her on the podium in bright green jerseys were five young people from the canton who had cycled all the way from Lausanne to Zug. Talking to the chairman of the board of the Zug Fair, Paul Twerenbold, they said that while the distance between the two cities remained fixed, of course, they felt in their hearts closer to Zug now. Bamert then went on to introduce one of the best bands in Switzerland, the Ensemble Cuivres Mélodia, who duly performed with great flair.
 
As previously reported, never before have so many special stands been set up among the 430 participating exhibitors, with the Zug Farmers' Association pointing out what problems dropping litter on their land can cause and the Zug Police reminding visitors about road safety. The canton of Zug itself presented an interactive film panorama film as well as emphasising the importance of solar energy as well as how to get rid of radioactive waste.
 
Another special guest at the fair is the Reformed Church of the Canton of Zug, which this year is celebrating its 150th anniversary. "The Bible remains the heart and soul of the Reformed Church," said its president Monika Hirz (on the left in the second photograph with Bamert in the centre) on the occasion of the opening ceremony. Some bible readings will be held during the course of the week and there is some excitement as to which extract mayor Dolfi Müller will choose to read.
 
The guest canton of Vaud, Waadtland in German, hence the "Waadtland-Wunderland" slogan, is the largest of all Switzerland's French-speaking cantons and its most populous. In his speech, the head of the Department of Economic Development and Sport there, Philippe Leuba, (on the right in the main photograph) spoke of the differences between the two cantons but also of their similarities, supported on the occasion by ten symbolic representatives of the canton, wearing either their local costume, or in work or sports clothing. In a touching gesture, Leuba's own two children presented two bottles of wine to Twerenbold and the head of the Zug cantonal government, Beat Villiger (photograph). Leuba hoped that his canton's presence at the fair would encourage many residents of Zoug, to give it is French name, would go to Vaud themselves to enjoy all it had to offer.
 
Then it was the turn of the new managing director of the Zug Fair, Peter Bingelli (on the right in the second photograph), to speak. He said what an exciting challenge it had been for him to set up what was in effect a small village for 80,000 visitors over the past four weeks.
 
When it was his turn to speak, Peter Hegglin, a member of the Zug cantonal government also mentioned some of the similarities the two cantons have, such as UNESCO status; though whereas Vaud had it for the quality of its wines, Zug had it for its ancient stilt houses.
 
As a symbol of friendship between the two cantons an oak tree is to be planted in the Siehbach Park.
 
The Zug Fair is open all week, Monday to Friday from 2.00 pm until 10 pm, from 10.30 am until 10.00 pm on Saturday and from 10.30 am until 6.00 pm on the final Sunday.