Salzburger Lungau has successfully managed to preserve its authenticity and folk heritage. One highlight of the annual calendar is the “Preberschiessen”, staged by a local rifle club. Every year in August, you can watch as passionate marksmen shoot at the reflection of targets in the water, with the bullet ricocheting of the surface and hitting the actual target on land.
These gigantic, as much as 8 meters-tall figures look back on a rich historical tradition. They can be seen in 10 Lungau communities, with Samson also accompanied by a pair of dwarves in some cases. The “Samson Dance” is an unforgettable experience for locals and guests. Many people also visit Lungau to see the “Prangstangen”, poles that are several meters high and garlanded with flowers, a tradition nurtured especially in Zederhaus and Muhr.
The Gambswirt serves essentially as the “clubhouse” of the Vereinigten, an organization whose highlights include the Festival Week every January as well as a parade every three years in honor of the newly elected “Vater Kommissär”. If you happen to be staying in the Lungau close to St. Martin’s Day, you might bump into the “Kasmandla”. Children dressed up as farmers and farmers’ wives, dairymaids and cowherds, bulls and “Light Bearers” make their way from one home to the next wishing residents blessings and happiness.
