150th Anniversary Founding Festival of the Traitsching Volunteer Fire Brigade

150 Years of Commitment to the Community

The Traitsching Volunteer Fire Brigade was founded in 1876 — at a time when Bavarian municipalities began establishing volunteer fire brigades to organize fire protection and mutual aid. 150 years later, the FF Traitsching remains a central pillar of safety and community life in the market town of Lower Bavaria. The 2026 anniversary festival honors this long tradition with a multi-day program.

Program Highlights

Thursday, July 3rd, traditionally opens the festival week with the ringing of the festival bells, the tapping of the first beer keg, and an opening evening in the festival tent. Friday, July 4th, features the grand performance by Ursprung Buam — the renowned Austrian folk music stars, whose concert is the musical centerpiece of the festival (tickets available from spring 2026 via okticket.de). Saturday, July 5th, is dedicated to clubs and associations, with performances by neighboring brigades and clubs. Sunday, July 6th, marks the ceremonial highlight with the church procession and parade — all brigades from the Cham district, traditional costume groups, and decorated floats will march through Traitsching to the festival grounds.

Commemorative Publication and Patronage

A specially published commemorative publication documents the 150-year history of the Traitsching Volunteer Fire Brigade — from its founding era and modernization in the 1960s to its current operational practices. The main sponsors of the publication are the Sparkassen (savings banks) in the Cham district. The patron of the festival is the Cham District Fire Brigade Association, which coordinates the brigades in the district.

Traitsching in the Bavarian Forest

Traitsching is a market town with approximately 3,600 inhabitants in the Cham district in the Upper Palatinate (State of Bavaria). The municipality is located in the foothills of the Bavarian Forest — one of the largest contiguous forest landscapes in Central Europe. The region is characterized by rural traditions, customs, and close-knit club structures — in which the Volunteer Fire Brigade plays a central role.