Name: 150 Years Wilhelmsthal Fire Department — Anniversary Festival 2026
Start: 2026-05-22T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-05-24T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Festplatz Wilhelmsthal

150 Years FF Wilhelmsthal

About 150 Years FF Wilhelmsthal

The Wilhelmsthal Volunteer Fire Department is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026 with a three-day festival in the Frankenwald. Beer tapping with the mayor, a family afternoon with mascot Grisu, a party band on Saturday evening, and on Sunday a grand parade through the Grüntal — the Wilhelmsthal firefighters invite you from May 22nd to 24th, 2026, to a festival that will captivate the entire region around Kronach.

Dates 22 May — 24 May 2026

Venue Wilhelmsthal (09476)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

150 Years FF Wilhelmsthal — edition 2026

From May 22nd to 24th, 2026, the Wilhelmsthal Volunteer Fire Department in Upper Franconia's Frankenwald will celebrate its 150th anniversary. Scheduled beer tapping by the mayor on Friday, family day with Grisu on Saturday, festival service, and a grand parade through the Grüntal on Sunday.

The 150th anniversary of the Wilhelmsthal Volunteer Fire Department will be celebrated from May 22nd to 24th, 2026, at the festival grounds in Wilhelmsthal. Three days of programming with classic fire department festival architecture and a clear highlight on Sunday: the grand parade through the Grüntal with friendly fire departments, music clubs, and traditional costume groups.

The program has already been communicated in detail by the Wilhelmsthal fire department and can be found on the association's website feuerwehr-wilhelmsthal.org.

Highlights 150 Years FF Wilhelmsthal 2026

Beer tapping by Mayor Susanne Grebner
Family day with mascot Grisu
Party band Fristlos on Saturday evening
Grand parade through the Grüntal on Sunday

Programme 150 Years FF Wilhelmsthal 2026

Program in Detail

Friday, May 22, 2026

6:00 PM — Festival opening at the tent with beer tapping by Mayor Susanne Grebner
8:00 PM — Live performance by the Neufang brass band with Franconian party music

Saturday, May 23, 2026

2:00 PM — Family afternoon: face painting, bouncy castle, café with cake, and catering
Afternoon — Visit from Grisu, the little fire dragon, for the youngest guests
Evening — Party in the festival tent with the band Fristlos

Sunday, May 24, 2026

8:45 AM — Church parade to the festival service
Following — Bavarian Weißwurst breakfast
1:30 PM — Grand parade through the Grüntal with fire departments and associations from the region
Evening — Musical finale with the MV Glosberg

Prices 150 Years FF Wilhelmsthal 2026

Admission to the festival tent and grounds is free. Food, drinks, and individual family attractions are paid for on-site.

Practical information

Practical information — 150 Years FF Wilhelmsthal

Getting There

Wilhelmsthal is located on the edge of the Frankenwald, about 10 km north of Kronach. By car via the B 85 (Kronach–Wallenfels). Train travelers should go to Kronach Hbf, then take a bus.

Admission

Admission to the festival tent and grounds is free. Food and drinks are paid for on-site.

Tip

Sunday morning, with the festival service and Weißwurst breakfast, is ideal for getting a feel for the festive atmosphere. The parade in the afternoon is the weekend's most popular event.

150 Years of Volunteer Firefighting in the Frankenwald

In 2026, the Wilhelmsthal Volunteer Fire Department looks back on 150 years of voluntary work for the safety of its fellow citizens. The municipality of Wilhelmsthal is located in the district of Kronach in Upper Franconia's Frankenwald — a wooded region characterized by stream valleys, near the Thuringian border.

Parade through the Grüntal — The Highlight

The highlight of the three-day festivities is the parade through the Grüntal on Sunday afternoon. Friendly fire departments, music clubs, traditional costume groups, and associations from the district of Kronach and beyond will march through the picturesque valley landscape. It is a classic Upper Franconian fire department anniversary, maintained for generations — with all the trimmings.

Program at a Glance

Friday, May 22, 2026: Opening at 6:00 PM with a beer tapping by Mayor Susanne Grebner, from 8:00 PM onwards, party music with the Neufang brass band
Saturday, May 23, 2026: Family program from 2:00 PM with face painting, bouncy castle, catering, and a visit from Grisu, the little fire dragon from fire safety education; in the evening, a party with the band Fristlos
Sunday, May 24, 2026: 8:45 AM church parade and festival service, followed by a Bavarian Weißwurst breakfast, 1:30 PM grand parade through the Grüntal, in the evening musical finale with the MV Glosberg

Community Life Connecting Generations

Fire department anniversaries in rural Bavaria are more than just celebrations: they are the most visible commitment to volunteerism in a region and to the traditions that hold it together. With the 2026 anniversary, Wilhelmsthal is continuing a tradition that has shaped village life since 1876 — and making the work of the fire department visible for the next generation.