Zoff at the Altstadtfest: ride reduced due to blocked escape routes!

Zoff at the Altstadtfest: ride reduced due to blocked escape routes!

On July 1, 2025, Salzgitter-Bad celebrated its traditional old town festival, but the festive atmosphere was clouded by an unexpected turn. The “Breakdance” ride had to be dismantled, which led to enormous displeasure among those responsible. The problem? Blocked escape routes. The showman was understandably upset because the location for his business was previously approved and he had made the preparations accordingly. "There is nothing to laugh about," said his conclusion when he announced that he would no longer come to Salzgitter in the future.

The city of Salzgitter has meanwhile stated that the Committee of Bürgerfeste e.V. is funding as the organizer and is responsible. The "Petershagener Straße", where the ride was built, was leased to a tenant that awards partial areas to different showmen. The problems began when the ride was not placed at the planned location. During a security inspection on Friday, it turned out that the structure was still advanced, while the need for a functioning escape route had already been pointed out in advance.

safety precautions and traffic restrictions

The security situation around large events has become more important in recent years. It is all the more important that security concepts, as are also defined in the orientation framework for events, are consciously observed. These regulations aim to ensure security for everyone involved and relate to structural, technical and organizational aspects during the event. Especially at events with an increased risk potential, all institutions involved should work closely together in order to be able to react to unforeseen events in the best possible way, as is shown in im.nrw

At an old town festival, it is not only important that everything is festive and happy, the traffic situation must also be observed. The city has introduced extensive road closures on this occasion, which led to traffic restrictions. The city of Salzgitter thanked the residents, traders and visitors: inside for their understanding in this tense situation during the festival. The police, the professional fire brigade and the Bürgerfeste e.V. committee worked hand in hand to ensure the security of the event.

A look at the future

Despite the challenges that the event brought with it, the cooperation of everyone involved is essential for the success of such festivals. As the city of Salzgitter emphasizes, the security concept is regularly checked and adapted to prevent future problems and improve security for everyone. The ongoing communication between the city and security authorities is essential in order to learn as much as possible through security standards and effective measures.

The old town festival has once again shown how important a good interaction between permits, security concepts and the practical implementation is. Because ultimately everyone wants to experience a safe and happy festival.