The unicorn in Bludenz
In Bludenz, a unicorn can be found in many places in the town, for example in the Bludenz town coat of arms, in the Fohrenburg beer logo and in numerous places throughout the town. The actual origin of the unicorn is difficult to trace. The oldest find is a letter of confederation from 1391, in which the coat of arms image is found in the seal.
Alpinale Short Film Festival
Every year in August, the Alpine town of Bludenz is all about short films when the Golden Unicorn is awarded. The Alpinale – a five-day, internationally renowned short film festival – took place for the 36th time in 2021 in the Remise in Bludenz. Every year, around 1,000 short films are submitted to the Alpinale by filmmakers from all over the world. From these, around 30 are selected for the competition. An international jury then awards the winner in several categories.
The Remise Bludenz, venue of the Alpinale and cultural center of the city, offers numerous exhibitions, concerts and theater performances throughout the year. The special architecture, the inviting ambience and the program offered in the Remise attract numerous visitors to Bludenz every year. The Remise is colorful and lives from the commitment of all its actors.
„Funken“ (Bonfire) in the Alpine town
Every year, on the first weekend after Ash Wednesday, the traditional „Funken“ is lit in Vorarlberg – and this is also the case in Bludenz. In the process, piled-up wooden towers made of pallets and old Christmas trees are ignited and the winter is driven away by the ritual. In 1765, the ancient „Funken“ tradition was banned in Bludenz, but thanks to the loyalty of the population to the custom, the first „Funken“ event was officially approved again in 1893. Since then, the „Funken“ in Bludenz is lit again on „Funken“-Sunday – since 2019 in a new design – the central trunk is covered with so-called “cookies” (tree slices).
