Dear people of Wiesbaden,

The summer vacations are just around the corner and with them a special time in our city: the streets are quieter, schools and daycare centers are on break and many Wiesbadeners are looking forward to a few days off. Those who stay at home don't have to be bored: Whether it's a trip to the Neroberg, cooling off in our outdoor pools, a walk in the cool forest air of our city forest or a family afternoon in our museums - Wiesbaden has plenty to offer in summer too.

What makes me particularly happy is that this year, all children and young people have free admission to our outdoor pools during the summer vacation. Kleinfeldchen, Kallebad and Maaraue invite you to swim, play and cool off. The free tickets are available directly on site or online at www.mattiaquacard.de.

Another highlight of the summer is the "wi&you Schöne Ferien" (wi&you Happy Holidays) vacation program organized by the city's youth department. There are numerous activities on offer for 6 to 16-year-olds: From dragon boating and cooking courses to skateboarding, street art, theater and media workshops as well as exciting excursions, everything is included. The program is complemented by open and free formats: for five days, the Reisinger Anlagen will once again be transformed into the popular "Summer Meadow", an adventure playground with a variety of play and creative activities. At the same time, "Schöne Ferien vor Ort" brings uncomplicated hands-on activities directly to the neighborhoods in several districts. The summer holiday program concludes with the "International Carousel Festival" in mid-August in the Kulturpark am Schlachthof.

The summer also attracts visitors with a variety of activities beyond the vacation program: On Mauritiusplatz, the "Summer Market" invites you to linger until the end of August with live music, culinary variety and a relaxed atmosphere. The temporary "PlayFountain" water playground on Luisenplatz provides plenty of fun and cooling for the youngsters throughout the summer vacations. The "Rheingau Music Festival" and the "Improsommer" on the Neroberg set cultural accents - with international artists such as Anne-Sophie Mutter and Nico Santos and improv theater with impressive views. Our wine stands, cafés and restaurants also create places to linger, meet and enjoy. If you fancy a day out, there are beautiful destinations right on the doorstep: The Taunus and Rheingau invite you to explore - because sometimes it doesn't take much of a journey to get into the vacation mood.

While many of us are enjoying our time off, work is also continuing in many places. During the summer vacations in particular, we as the city administration take the opportunity to push ahead with important projects - for example at our schools. Because good education needs good facilities. That is why we are consistently investing in the renovation and modernization of our schools. Over the next few weeks, construction, renovation or technical upgrades will be carried out at more than 25 locations so that our children and young people can return after the vacations to an environment that provides even better support for modern learning and social interaction.

The summer period is also a busy time for other municipal departments, from road construction to the maintenance of our infrastructure. I would like to thank all those who ensure that our city continues to function while others are on vacation: the craftsmen and women, the employees in administration, transport and utilities and especially those who are always there for us, such as the police, fire department, emergency services, nursing staff and medical personnel. Their work keeps our city together - even during the vacation season.

With this in mind, I wish you all a wonderful summer - whether at home in Wiesbaden or out and about.

Gert-Uwe Mende
Lord Mayor