Apfelfest Bad Urach

Apfelfest — harvest thanksgiving on the Swabian Alb

The Swabian Alb is one of Europe's largest traditional orchard regions — and Bad Urach, set in the Erms valley, lies right in the middle of it. The orchard meadows above the town have shaped the landscape for centuries and are still farmed today by associations and direct marketers. The Apfelfest is the annual celebration of this tradition — harvest thanksgiving, farmers' market and town festival rolled into one.

How the Sunday unfolds

The day begins at 10 am with an ecumenical service on the market square — Catholic and Protestant pastors lead it together. Immediately afterwards, the farmers' market opens from 11 am to 5 pm with stalls around the market square and throughout the town centre. Freshly pressed apple juice, apple cake, Streuobst fruit brandies, regional products from the Fruit and Garden Association and stalls from local producers shape the offer. Children's activities and cultural performances run alongside.

Sunday shopping

From 12 noon to 5 pm, the shops in Bad Urach town centre are open. This makes the Apfelfest a double appointment: traditional harvest market and extended shopping weekend in one. Cafés and restaurants along the market square and the Stadtgraben (town moat) serve harvest menus with an apple focus.

Bad Urach — the spa town beneath the Alb

Bad Urach lies in the district of Reutlingen at the foot of the Swabian Alb, where the Erms valley cuts into the Albtrauf escarpment. Famous landmarks include the castle, the Urach waterfall a few kilometres outside town, and the sulphur baths that earned the town its "Bad" (spa) status. The Apfelfest is part of a series of events that keep the town lively year-round — from the Bad Urach town festival in summer to the Schäferlauf (shepherds' run) in autumn.