25 March: organisers have cancelled the event. The European Stone Festival will return next year - hopefully.

Bernward Fiedler, the organiser, says:

Unfortunately, the dynamic development of the Corona virus leaves us with no other option other than to inform you of the cancellation of this year’s event. We are very concerned about your health and the well-being of the visitors and our staff. The 900-year anniversary of Freiburg has already seen many big events being cancelled until June or later. Within the next few weeks, we will refund the registration fee to those who have already transferred this sum. We regret having to inform you of this decision, as we have all been looking forward to an exciting Stone Festival. We look forward to seeing you all next year when the festival takes place in Salzburg.

The European Stone Festival was due to return to the Eschholz Park In Freiburg, Germany, this year, with its shaded tree-lined alleys and ‘Gartenschlauch’ (Garden Hose) sculpture by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. It is close to the Freiburg Technical College grounds where the competition was launched in 1999.

The Festival this year would also have helped the City of Freiburg celebrate its 900^th anniversary under the banner of ‘900 Jahre jung’ (900 years young).

www.stein-festival.de