Bergseefest Ebertswiese Floh-Seligenthal

A Volksfest on the Edge of a Quarry Lake

The Bergsee Ebertswiese is a former porphyry quarry that filled with water after extraction ceased. With depths between 8 and 13 meters, surrounded by rock faces 20 to 30 meters high, it is one of the most spectacular swimming lakes in Central Thuringia. Located directly on the eastern slope of the 836-meter-high Höhnberg, in close proximity to the Rennsteig — Germany's oldest hiking trail —, Ebertswiese is an excursion magnet for the entire Schmalkalden-Meiningen region.

One Week After the Summer Solstice

The Bergseefest is linked to the summer solstice: the event takes place annually one week after it — typically at the end of June or the beginning of July. This date tradition makes the festival a follow-up to the solstice celebrations, rooted in the rural traditions of the Thuringian Forest. Local clubs, FSV Floh-Seligenthal, volunteers, and the two participating municipalities organize the festival together.

Wood-Chopping Competition as a Challenge Cup

The program highlight is the wood-chopping and sawing competition: teams from Floh-Seligenthal and Tambach-Dietharz compete against each other to win a challenge cup. The sporting competition is traditional and provides an occasion for atmosphere, cheering, and shared laughter. The two mayors — of Floh-Seligenthal and Tambach-Dietharz — jointly open the festival around 1 p.m. This joint opening symbolically represents the connection between the two neighboring municipalities in the Thuringian Forest.

Family Program and Nature Experience

In addition to the competition, other activities characterize the day: model boat sailing on the lake, a mobile climbing wall for children, music from local music and singing clubs, Thuringian bratwurst, dumplings, and barbecue specialties. An information booth from the Inselsberg-Drei Gleichen Geopark explains the geological formation of the lake, the porphyry stratification, and the natural history significance of the site. The festival thus combines nature experience, sport, family activities, and conviviality by the lake.

Floh-Seligenthal and Tambach-Dietharz

Floh-Seligenthal is a municipality in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district in the state of Thuringia, on the Werra river. Tambach-Dietharz is located in the neighboring Gotha district. Ebertswiese connects both municipalities geographically — and the Bergseefest builds on this neighborhood as a moment of identity. The 2025 event attracted around 500 guests; local reporting (insuedthueringen.de) has documented the tradition for years.