Review: Winter Festival 2021

Cancellation at short notice

Under the motto “Aufwind” (Upwind), the Tollwood Winter Festival should have started on 24 November 2021, the set-up had already taken place, but then everything turned out differently …

Due to the dramatic development of the Corona pandemic in Bavaria, the Bavarian State Government prohibited the holding of Christmas markets at the end of November 2021. It was therefore with a heavy heart that we had to cancel the Tollwood Winter 2021 at short notice, following the cancellation of the Summer and Winter Festivals 2020 due to the pandemic.

In the late summer of 2021, we had confidently started the planning phase with a lot of heart and soul, had worked out very good hygiene concepts and had done everything to offer our visitors and all participants optimal conditions. But the dramatic development of the pandemic and the catastrophic situation in the hospitals made these drastic measures necessary.

Of course, this was particularly regrettable for our loyal stall holders, who had placed their trust in us, had already set up their stalls full of anticipation and were looking forward to the Christmas season with confidence. And of course also for our great artists who had longed for the festival with us.

Art as a sign of hope on the Theresienwiese

After the cancellation and dismantling of the Tollwood Winter Festival, Tollwood remained present on the Theresienwiese until 2 January 2022: an art installation was to give the people of Munich hope and confidence in these difficult times.

The installation was also an appeal to politicians not to forget artists, market traders, restaurateurs and all those whose livelihoods are threatened by the Corona pandemic.

Because culture was and is existential.