Spring fairs

Food, cars and a garden – what more could you want?

The latest car models can not only be test-driven, but also test-driven on the exhibition grounds. Hybrid and electric cars are also on show.(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

The whole family will get their money's worth at this weekend's major event at the exhibition center, where the latest trends in cuisine, gardening, new energies and cars will be on display. Visitors are happy, the parking spaces were almost all taken on Saturday. On Sunday, new things can be discovered until 5 pm.

It smells of bread, bacon and cheese in Hall 1 of the exhibition center, the right wine can be tasted next to it and chocolate made from dates is waiting for dessert: the culinary section of the spring fairs is focusing on sustainable products from the region and healthy alternatives this year. Direct marketers and small regional farmers can be found at the "Salzburg Schmeckt" stand.

Those who have sampled regional products and exotic spices and oils from all over the world can then either take a look at the latest car bodies or be inspired by the stylish gardens in the hall next door. "The exhibition center offers something for the whole family at the weekend," explains organizer Hansjörg Wechselberger. Children's eyes were wide open at the latest car models with a focus on sustainable mobility. Anyone who wanted to could sit in the hybrid and electric vehicles and test drive them outside the hall. However, the little ones' enthusiasm quickly waned at the E-Xpo 5020 on new energy solutions for the home and storage options, including specialist presentations.

Innovative products alongside the familiar
The garden trade fair, which is back on board after a break of several years, also appeals more to adults: Garden sculptures, shrubs, tulips and trees stand on specially laid out lawns. If you take a seat by the pond in Hall 7, Alexander Karrer can tell you about how fences and patio roofs can be used to generate electricity.

His company from Upper Austria now installs solar panels on almost all open spaces. "The aesthetics are no longer as important as the benefits," says Karrer, explaining why the company is making more and more custom-made products: "Many people are afraid of a blackout and want to make themselves as independent as possible from the energy grid." The "four trade fairs at the same time" concept seems to be a hit: There was a long search for a parking space at the trade fair on Saturday.