Some Festivals in Germany
There’s more to German festivals than the Oktoberfest. Why not combine your hike with a trip to coincide with one of the festivals in Germany – or vice versa? Here are some suggestions.
1) Rhine in Flames – Nights of Bengal Fire
A night of fireworks on the Seven Mountains. Ideal if you are on a business trip in Cologne or hiking on the Rheinsteig.
2) Kulmbach Bierfest
9-day long beer festival every year in July. Okay, it’s not the Oktoberfest, but it is near the Rennsteig in Thuringia – and let’s face it: you probably can’t drink this one dry either.
3) Wäldchestag
A festival with its own little hiking area attached! Old Frankfurter “national day” festival celebrated every year in the city’s forest. Nobody knows the origins of this festival but it is said to have started with the celebration of the end of the yearly cattle market with a picnic.
4) Rock Festival in the Eifel
Hiking in the Eifel and want to have your eardrums blasted? We’ve got the right ticket for you! June 3-5, Germany’s biggest 3-day open-air rock festival with international bands performing.
History beckons! (Unfortunately it’s so new that they have not yet had the time to prepare any info in English. Sorry!)
5) BierBoerse
Combine an exploration of the relatively new Saarsteig (Germany’s youngest Top Trail) with an opportunity to experience the very first beer festival in near-by Saarbrücken.
6) Ruhr Festival
Something for the more refined souls among you. Theatre and the arts – in spitting distance of the Hermannshöhen! Bringing culture to a coal mining district since 1946.
Hello Joseph, every Schuetzenverein has a Schuetzenfest in late Spring. Just put in the name of the town you want to find the Schuetzenfest schedule of in Google and it will give you some hits. Thanks for dropping by.
Many years ago whilst serving with the British Army in Rheinland we used to enjoy going to the many schutzenfest celebrations in the villages of North Rhein Westphalia. Is it still possible to find these places and is there an information site I can visit. Many thanks, Joseph
Thanks for the cool tip, Andrea, and of course, for dropping by
In July, you can climb up the Singen volcanoes (it’s an easy and highly scenic hike) and enjoy their music festival ( http://www.hohentwielfestival.de/ ). And if you’re sweating after the hike, you’ll find very good 90 cent ice-cream cones in Konstanz, which can be easily reached by train from Singen.
this is a great list. I agree there are so many other festivals in Germany than Oktoberfest. I haven’t seen the Rhine in flames but I bet it is spectacular.
That sounds like great fun, Laurel. But sorry to hear about your knee surgery. Hope it’s nothing serious. Get well soon, then, for your next easy hike.
Great list, I love all the festivals in Germany. This weekend is the Wine Walking Weekend in Germany where you walk through vineyards with tasting stops along the way, plus other special events. I couldn’t find any info in English, but here’s the German page: http://www.deutscheweine.de/Wein-Tourismus/WeinWanderWochenende/
It might be a stretch to call it “easy hiking” but still sounds like fun.
I’m sad to miss it. I’m on crutches after knee surgery so no hiking for 8 weeks, it’s killing me!
I thought it would appeal to beer lovers like you Cathy.
I’d go for any of these festivals. Hope that I would survive Kulmbach Bierfest –- I’d give it a good try! A list worthy of bookmarking.
Yes, Andrea, almost all are yearly, except for the Saarland Bierfest which is being held for the first time this year. Let’s hope that too would also become a yearly event.
And I’ll say Prost to that, Ciki.
A superb list.. i wish i could be there to enjoy all the festivities..but especially the beer.. *burp* LOL;)
Great list! We’ll be at Oktoberfest this year but it’s great to know about some of the other festivals. Do they all happen at around the same times each year?