The traditional Oswaldi Sunday always takes place on the 1st Sunday in August. Traditionally, on the eve there is always a taps with the Samson through Krakaudorf. On Sunday there is a procession of the Schützengarde with high mass followed by a procession. In the afternoon there is the Samson parade with Samson dance from 01.30 p.m.
The church consecration festival "Oswaldi" (after the church patron St. Oswald) is celebrated in Krakaudorf every year on the first Sunday in August.
Already on the eve of the "Oswaldifest" at the "Zapfenstreich" the Samson appears and makes his inaugural reverence at the Pfarrhof. Afterwards, accompanied by the Schützenmusikkapelle and many spectators, he dances through the village. A giant striding along in the dusk, towering over the houses, is sure to leave lasting impressions on all the spectators.
Then, early Sunday morning, firecrackers and the Schützenmusikkapelle with their "wake-up call" awaken the population to bustling activity. Men and boys in the "Prangschützenuniformen" (white pants with red lampas, scarlet vest, dark green tailcoat with crossed white belts and bearskin caps) and armed with old muzzle-loaders move to the church for the service.
After the service, accompanied by the Schützenmusikkapelle, they go through the town in procession. In front four boys in white shirts and red sashes, angel crowns on their heads, carry the baroque statue of Oswaldi in a colorful cloak. They are followed by four "Liebfrauentragen" ( decorated statues of Our Lady from the chapels of the surrounding area).
In the afternoon follows the actual Samson procession. Accompanied by the Schützengarde and the Schützenmusikkapelle, the Samson parades through the town, offering honorary dances to the population and guests, which are concluded by honorary volleys from the Schützengarde. After each salvo of honor, which is called out by the captain and costs the person concerned a token of appreciation, the Samson dances to the beat of the brass band.
The bearers of the Samson are required to perform enormous physical feats during this procession, which lasts until the evening hours. After all, the figure, which is almost 6 meters high, weighs 75 kg. The Samson is carried by a man who has the figure strapped to his shoulders and upper body. This is a remarkable feat, since he is responsible for marching and dancing all by himself. Only when he is at rest is the load taken off him somewhat by four bearers.
The Samson himself is a figure with rolling eyes, black flowing hair and dark beard. He wears a cuirass helmet, a halberd in his right hand, a sword and a donkey chin bone in his left. Over his long, striped smock he wears a red shoulder dress hung with war decorations.
The Prangschützen are first mentioned in writing on a church invoice in 1740. In 1809 a Franzossentross came to Krakaudorf, which was stationed in Murau. The soldier Johann Turass stayed behind from this French patrol. He found in the house no. 43 vlg. Bichlschneider (old Langmaier house). When, after a long time, no manhunt was launched, he came out of hiding and stayed in Krakaudorf. At the Corpus Christi procession he went along for the first time in his French uniform. This obviously pleased the villagers so much that money was donated to clothe the Himmelschützen. From that time on the Krakaudorf marksmen marched in their well-known uniform.
The Samson was created in the style of the Lungau figures, around 1810. The creator of the Krakaudorf Samson is probably also Johann Turas. Unfortunately, the original Samson figure was destroyed in a fire after about 100 years. The second figure, popularly called the "Grauperte", was much ridiculed because of its deformity and had only a short life span. The current figure "Samson the Third" was created in 1914 by N. Neumann vulgo Pistrich and completely restored in 2002/2003 by Andreas Leitner.