Schaffermahlzeit
The Schaffermahlzeit (literally "Worker's Meal") is an annual banquet held in Bremen, Germany[1] for merchants and shipping managers. It is the longest-running annual meal event in the world,[2] having been held since 1545.[3] It is generally hosted by three "Schaffers", who organise and pay for the banquet.[1]
Shaffermahlzeit has been held in the Bremen Town Hall since 1952, and hosts 200 seafaring workers and 100 public figures each year. The figures are invited on the condition that they will donate to the town's foundation. Women have been traditionally excluded from the meal, which led to criticism until the convention was abandoned in 2019.[4]