On Wednesday and Thursday (today) this week, the lovers of bulls and cows in the canton are gathering on the Stierenmarktplatz for the event of the year, the Zuger Stierenmarkt 2018.
By tradition and since 1897, the event has been taking place on the first week of September to showcase the best and most beautiful animals of local farmers in the region. This year, more than hundred cows are presented, and the walk through the stalls is an experience on its own. There you'll be able also to discuss with your local farmers, check out some impressive machinery, drink som local fresh milk, scratch the back of a bunny or two at the petting farm and let your kids do a poney ride.
This year the Stierenmarkt is also politically flavoured, as the elections in the Canton are approaching faster than you think.
If you have missed your chance yesterday, do not miss the occasion to look at amazing beasts (seriously, these pampered cows are gorgeous), get in touch with the local community and witness at 1pm the auction of animals.
Click here for the day's agenda (in German).
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And for those wondering if I could attend this year, I had to pass due to other commitments this week (I will elaborate on this a little later). The pictures however are from 2017, when I probably had the greatest cultural shock since moving from Dubai to Zug a few weeks before.
I had not fully settled yet in the city, and on the first day of the Stierenmarkt I ended up watching the pig race under a never-ending pissing rain.
[Note that in French, the equivalent of the expression "it's raining cats and dogs" can be translated by "it's raining like a pissing cow". How appropriate, you'd say].
It was windy, it was cold, we did not have any rain gears so we were soaked, and my stroller nearly drowned with a few centimeters of water in it.
And the pigs raced. And the pigs jumped over fences. And my son nearly cried because I, the terrible soaked, freezing mother, did not allow him to chase the pigs with the other children under the rain. So I had to bribe him with a chocolate milk to make everything fine again.
This day I told the "urban me" I had to move on and appreciate things in a different way. I caught a cold inevitably, but after all it was (somehow) fun.