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Celebratory anniversary: AGV 1985 rocks the 40s parade in Gmünd!
AGV 1985 celebrates 40 years with a move to Schwäbisch Gmünd. Tradition, community and planned celebrations are the focus.
Celebratory anniversary: AGV 1985 rocks the 40s parade in Gmünd!
On June 13, 2025, a very special event will be celebrated in Schwäbisch Gmünd: The AGV 1985 will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a festive parade through the historic city center. This is not only a milestone birthday, but also a first for the club, which will perform the traditional song “Grüß die Gott Alois” for the first time. The parade begins on Kornhausstrasse and leads across the market square to St. John's Church, where the celebrations will take place. The route was deliberately kept short in order to meet safety requirements, reports Rem newspaper.
With 19 members, the AGV 1985 is currently referred to as a “mini” AGV, which is close to the heart of secretary Patricia Stohrer. She remembers the challenges of organizing the town festival, especially with such a small cast. “Smaller groups intensively promote cohesion,” she explains, “our members come from different walks of life, which strengthens our community.” However, the club's main players have optimistic prospects: Stohrer is confident that new members can be won and recommends to future generations: "Save every cent you have!"
Tradition and history
The tradition of age group festivals has a long history in Schwäbisch Gmünd, going back to 1863, when the first year festival was celebrated - back then with a 50s party during Carnival. It wasn't until 1883 that the first 40s festival marked another highlight in the city's history AGV 1985 website explained. These celebratory occasions are not only opportunities to celebrate, but also to pay homage to old age, peppered with music, dancing and socializing.
The members of the age group associations, which are usually founded from the age of 30, parade through the city in splendid party dresses. Traditionally, men wear black tailcoats and top hats, while women wear formal robes. On Saturday morning the parade begins with a cannon shot and the streets are lined with thousands of enthusiastic spectators. The parades of those aged 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 have been taking place for over 150 years and have firmly established themselves in the cultural life of Schwäbisch Gmünd, as the city administration notes on its website: schwaebisch-gmuend.de.
The AGV 1985 is not only part of a long-standing tradition, but also symbolizes cohesion in the community, even in smaller circles. Stohrer's look back at the past few years shows that even in challenging times, we should never lose sight of the future. The upcoming parade will not only be a celebration of the past, but also a look into the club's hopeful future.