July20 – 22, 1995
For reasons of space the festival was once again limited to 400 performers from 25 countries. Even though almost 500 applications had to be rejected Linz was now undeniably established as the European center of street entertainment even ahead of cities like Barcelona. For the first time, the Pflasterspektakel was able to stage performances from 9 a.m. to 12 midnight between Schillerplatz and Donaulände. The cultural affairs department had succeeded in obtaining a special license from the police allowing the Pflasterspektakel to continue until midnight. This was possible only because the festival had always been a peaceful occasion free of disturbances despite the huge numbers of people it attracted. The city’s transport company once again provided a replacement bus service from 7 p.m. between Blumau and Sonnensteinstraße. Before the buses replaced the trams, special stewards with colorfully designed one-meter long sticks patrolled Landstraße and carefully “herded” the general public away from the tramlines whenever a tram was approaching. These aides have been known in Linz as “Menschenschieber” (“people-pushers”) ever since. They were an important invention too, because never before had the Linz Pflasterspektakel got off to such a fantastic start: on the opening evening alone, more than 60,000 spectators thronged the streets.
And not only that:
On the left bank of the River Danube a music ship docked during the festival and offered a composition by Helmut Lutz featuring brass instruments, characters and a tightrope act for the enjoyment of interested spectators.
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