Name: Backhausfest & 25th Anniversary Initiative Rodachtal 2026
Start: 2026-06-28T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-28T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Alte Schäferei – Gerätemuseum des Coburger Landes

Backhausfest Ahorn

About Backhausfest Ahorn

The Backhausfest in Ahorn brings together baking clubs and baking house groups from the entire Rodachtal region on a Sunday in June at the Alte Schäferei. The historic four-sided farmstead, which houses the Equipment Museum of Coburg County, transforms into a stage for living baking culture: smoking wood-fired ovens, fresh farmhouse bread, sweet specialties, workshops, and information stands. In 2026, the festival coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Initiative Rodachtal – a double celebration that honors the rural identity of the region across the borders of Bavaria and Thuringia.

Dates 28 Jun — 28 Jun 2026

Venue Ahorn (09473)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Backhausfest Ahorn — edition 2026

On Sunday, June 28, 2026, the Initiative Rodachtal celebrates its 25th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Alte Schäferei Ahorn with the grand Backhausfest. Baking clubs and baking house groups from the eleven member municipalities between Bavaria and Thuringia come together for workshops, information stands, hands-on activities, and plenty of freshly baked bread from the wood-fired oven.

In 2026, the Backhausfest coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Initiative Rodachtal — the organizers have therefore extended the day significantly. The preparations and pre-program under the motto "Baking Culture in the Rodachtal" begin on the previous day, June 27, 2026. On the festival day itself, Sunday, June 28, 2026, the Alte Schäferei opens its doors to visitors from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Freshly baked bread, sheet cakes, and sweet specialties from the participating baking clubs will be offered, along with information stands from the eleven member municipalities, hands-on activities related to baking, and a supporting program with music. This double event also serves as a networking meeting for all baking enthusiasts in the region — the ideal occasion to get to know the tradition of communal baking.

Highlights Backhausfest Ahorn 2026

25th Anniversary of the Initiative Rodachtal e.V.
Baking clubs from eleven Bavarian and Thuringian municipalities united
Fresh bread straight from the wood-fired oven
Workshops and hands-on activities for families
Historic setting of the Alte Schäferei

Programme Backhausfest Ahorn 2026

Sunday, June 28, 2026 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

From 10:00 a.m. — Opening of the Alte Schäferei, lighting the historic wood-fired ovens
Morning — First breads and sheet cakes come out of the ovens, market stalls of the baking clubs open
Throughout the day — Workshops and hands-on activities related to baking, information stands of the member municipalities of the Initiative Rodachtal, networking opportunities
Afternoon — Program item for the 25th anniversary of the Initiative Rodachtal with speeches by the mayors of the Bavarian and Thuringian member municipalities
Until 6:00 p.m. — Festival concludes

The full program will be published shortly before the festival on initiative-rodachtal.de and schaeferei-ahorn.de.

Prices Backhausfest Ahorn 2026

Free admission. Food and drinks available on-site for purchase.

Practical information

Practical information — Backhausfest Ahorn

Getting There

The Alte Schäferei is located in Ahorn at Schäferei 2, easily accessible via the B303 from Coburg. Parking is available at the venue.

Admission

Admission to the Backhausfest is generally free. Food and drinks are available for purchase on-site.

Contact

Initiative Rodachtal e.V., Tel. 036871/30317, [email protected]. Gerätemuseum Alte Schäferei, Tel. 09561/1304, [email protected].

A Gathering of Baking Clubs in the Rodachtal

The Backhausfest is the central summer event of the Initiative Rodachtal e.V. and annually brings together baking clubs, baking house groups, and farmers from the eleven member municipalities at the Alte Schäferei Ahorn. Here, what has defined the region for centuries becomes visible and tangible: communal baking in the village wood-fired oven. You'll experience how bread rises in the wood-fired oven, can taste fresh farmhouse bread, sheet cakes, and savory specialties, and chat with baking enthusiasts.

The Alte Schäferei as the Festival Venue

The venue is the Alte Schäferei in Ahorn, an impressive historic four-sided farmstead that now houses the Equipment Museum of Coburg County. Amidst the thick sandstone walls, old workshops, and exhibits on rural working life, the festival gains a special atmosphere. The courtyard provides space for information stands, market stalls, and hands-on activities for the whole family.

Initiative Rodachtal — A Cross-Border Idea

The Initiative Rodachtal e.V. was founded in 2001 and connects five Thuringian municipalities (Eisfeld, Heldburg, Hildburghausen, Straufhain, Ummerstadt) with six Bavarian municipalities (Ahorn, Bad Rodach, Itzgrund, Seßlach, Untermerzbach, Weitramsdorf). What began as a municipal association on the former inner-German border is now one of the most established examples of rural development in the Green Belt. The Backhausfest is one of the visible links between the member towns — and in 2026, the initiative's 25th anniversary will be celebrated in grand style.

Location and Surroundings

Ahorn is located in the Coburg district of Upper Franconia, just a few kilometers west of the Vestestadt Coburg. The gently rolling landscape of the Rodachtal, with its orchards, forests, and half-timbered villages, forms the backdrop for the festival. Visitors to the Backhausfest can easily combine their day with a walk through the Rodachtal, a detour to Coburg, or a visit to the Equipment Museum.