The “Eierleset” (Traditional Easter Egg Race)

Various Locations
Sunday, 12 April

The Eierleset (aka Eierläset, Eierlesen, Eierauflesen) is an egg race that is traditionally held on the Sunday after Easter in some of the communities around Basel and which dates back to the 16th century. Today, these events are typically organized by local sports clubs and involve two or more teams of several gathers (kids and/or adults) and a catcher that compete against each other. For each team, about 100 eggs (mostly hard-boiled, but some raw ones as well) are laid out in a row on the street. Then, the gatherers take turns running from the starting line to the farthest egg in the row, pick it up, and run back to the start where they throw it to the catcher who tries to catch it in a big flat basket padded with grains and chaff, while the gatherer is off to pick up the next egg. For some of these runs, the gatherers also have to fulfill special tasks, such as walking on stilts, using a crazy bike, pushing a partner in a wheelbarrow, and the like. With these tasks and the eggs flying all over the place (and not always into the basket), these races can be rather entertaining to watch. And usually the remaining eggs are used afterwards for an “Eiertätsch”—a (free) meal of scrambled eggs to be shared by competitors and spectators.

Several communities in Baselland host these egg races, including the following check the corresponding Gemeindeverwaltung town offices for more detailed information.
Aesch - 14:30, at kath. Pfarrheim im Brüel
Allschwil - 14:00, at Schulhaus Gartenhof
Arisdorf - 14: 00, at Sportplatz Arisdorf
Arlesheim - 12:00, at Trottenplatz
Augst - 14:30, in front of the Roman Theater in Augusta Raurica
Biel-Benken - 14:00, at Schulhaus Kilchbühl
Bretzwil - 14:00, at Schulhausplatz / Turnhalle Baumgartenschule
Bubendorf - 11:00, at the Schulhausplatz Dorf
Buckten - 14:15, at the gym (Turnhalle)
Buus - 14:00, at the multi-purpose hall (Mehrzweckhalle)
Diegten - 14:00, at Zälghagweg
Frenkendorf - 14:30, at the village square
Füllinsdorf - 14:00, at Schulhaus Dorf
Giebenach - 13:30, at Schule Giebenach
Hemmiken - 14:00, at the multi-purpose hall (Mehrzweckhalle)
Läufelfingen - 13:30, at the multi-purpose hall (Mehrzweckhalle)
Lausen - 13:15, at the Gemeindehaus
Maisprach - 14:00, at Dorfplatz
Muttenz - 14:00, in the Oberdorf
Oberwil - 14:00, at the town offices (Gemeindeverwaltung)
Ormalingen - 13:00, at the "Zingge"
Pratteln - 14:00, at the old Dorfturnhalle
Ramlinsburg - 13:30, at the multi-purpose hall (Mehrzweckhalle)
Rickenbach - 14:00, on the sports field by the multi-purpose hall (Mehrzweckhalle)
Rothenfluh - 13:30, at Hirschengasse and the multi-purpose hall (Mehrzweckhalle)
Sissach - 14:00, in the pedestrian zone (Begegnungszone)
Therwil - 14:00, at Bahnhofstrasse and multi-purpose hall (Mehrzweckhalle)
Thürnen - 14:00, at the multi-purpose hall (Mehrzweckhalle)
Wenslingen - 14:00, at Innerbuechweg
Zeglingen - 14:00, at the sports field

To learn more about the history of this event, check our article "The “Eierleset”—Not Your Typical Egg-and-Spoon Race.".

Website
baselland-tourismus.ch/en/poi/eierlaeset

Add to Calendar

Advertisement