Bärenhöhlenfest Sonnenbühl-Erpfingen

76 Years of Tradition on the Swabian Jura

The Bärenhöhlenfest in Sonnenbühl-Erpfingen is one of Germany's oldest cave festivals. Since 1950, the municipality, together with the Erpfingen sports club, the Bärentatze inn, and the Gebauer family funfair operator, has hosted the festival every year on Ascension Day. In 2026, the festival falls on May 29 (Father's Day) and the following three days — until Sunday, June 1. The format has hardly changed for decades: a compact folk festival, cave tours, and a Southern German funfair in front of the most famous cave on the Swabian Jura.

The Bärenhöhle — Venue and Main Attraction

The Bärenhöhle was discovered in 1834 by a teacher from Erpingen — initially called Karlshöhle. The actual Bärenhöhle, where significant Quaternary bone finds were made (cave bear, cave hyena), was identified about a hundred years later and connected to the Karlshöhle. The current show cave measures around 300 meters in length and is divided into seven chambers — with impressive stalactite formations and bone exhibits. During the Bärenhöhlenfest, tours are particularly popular; the cave is one of the most visited show caves in Southern Germany.

The Funfair Program — Carousel, Ferris Wheel, Ghost Train

The Gebauer family funfair is the heart of the festival. Carousels, ghost trains, a Ferris wheel, children's rides, and snack stands fill the area in front of the Bärenhöhle. The Erpfingen sports club provides its own catering with Swabian specialties; the Bärentatze inn, located directly at the cave entrance, extends its opening hours for the festival. Musically, the Lauchertmusikanten Melchingen — one of the most famous brass bands on the Swabian Jura — ensure the typical festival atmosphere.

Ascension Day as a Family and Hiking Day

In Southern Germany, Ascension Day is traditionally also Father's Day and a hiking day. Thousands of hikers from the Reutlingen, Tübingen, and Sigmaringen regions use the long weekend for tours across the Jura — the Bärenhöhle is a classic destination. The festival complements the neighboring Traumland auf der Bärenhöhle amusement park, which is particularly attractive for families with children.

Sonnenbühl and the Reutlingen District

Sonnenbühl is a municipality with around 7,000 inhabitants in the Reutlingen district in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Erpfingen is one of the four districts and is located on the central plateau of the Swabian Jura at an altitude of about 750 meters — one of the highest locations in Baden-Württemberg. The location has boosted tourism: in summer, hikers and cave visitors; in winter, winter sports enthusiasts and families flock to the Traumland region.