Altstadt- und Edelweißfest Schwarzenberg

Three Days of Middle Ages and Edelweiß in the Pearl of the Ore Mountains

The Altstadt- und Edelweißfest Schwarzenberg is one of the most important city festivals in the western Ore Mountains — and, compared to other city festivals, it is particularly thematically focused: Middle Ages, Homeland, Castle. The «Pearl of the Ore Mountains», as Schwarzenberg calls itself, builds on the backdrop of Schwarzenberg Castle and the St. George's Church — two of the most beautiful buildings in the Ore Mountains. From August 14th to 16th, 2026, the old town will turn into a festival mile with six stages, a medieval camp, a wine market, and craft stalls.

Knight Georg and Castle Maiden Edelweiß

Two central figures of the festival shape its character: Knight Georg (named after the patron saint of the city and the city church) and the Castle Maiden Edelweiß. They are the incarnation of Schwarzenberg's city identity — at the most recent edition (30th edition / 875 years of Schwarzenberg), there was a historic change: the long-time performer Jörg Schale stepped down as Knight Georg, and René Templin took over the role. Both figures accompany the festival weekend — at the opening on Friday, during parades, and when meeting festival visitors.

Six Stages, Diverse Program

The six stages of the festival are spread across the old town: Market Square (main stage with larger concerts), Vorstadt (acoustic and folk program), Unterer Markt (alternative stage), Schlosshof (classical program and theater), plus smaller performance venues. Music from folk, rock, pop, Schlager, medieval music, plus theater plays (live acting around Karl May, Robin Hood, Schwarzenberg history), dance performances, and show acts.

Medieval Camp and Franconian Wine Market

A medieval camp will be set up in the castle area — knights, squires, noble ladies, minstrels, sword fights, archery, medieval food from clay ovens. A real specialty is the Franconian wine market — Schwarzenberg maintains a traditional connection to Mainfranken, and vintners from Würzburg, Iphofen, Eibelstadt bring their wines, regional specialties (Franconian bratwurst, Mainländer cheese), and their characteristic Bocksbeutel bottles to the old town market. A rare combination: Ore Mountains backdrop with Franconian culinary culture.

Craftsmen and Street Artists

Throughout the festival, street artists will roam the old town — stilt walkers, fire eaters, acrobats, jugglers, musicians. Craftsmen will offer their works at stalls: blacksmiths, potters, glassblowers, woodcarvers, basket weavers. For children, there is a classic hands-on program — archery, gold panning, coin minting, bread baking, hobbyhorse riding.

Schwarzenberg and the Western Ore Mountains

The town of Schwarzenberg/Erzgeb., with around 16,000 inhabitants, is located in the Erzgebirgskreis district in the Western Ore Mountains, at the confluence of the Mittweida and Schwarzwasser rivers. It is known for its mining history (silver, later Wismut-uranium), Schwarzenberg Castle (with a trip hammer forge and museum), and the unique episode of the «Republic of Schwarzenberg» in 1945 — a 42-day period when the town was not controlled by any occupying power after the war. Today, Schwarzenberg is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Ore Mountains.