Bergsträßer Winzerfest Bensheim

1929 — And Uninterrupted Since Then

The Bergsträßer Winzerfest was first celebrated in 1929 — as a deliberate staging of the Bergstraße as a wine region. Back then, it was a local folk festival (Volksfest); today, it is the largest wine festival in South Hesse and one of the largest in Germany. Around 100,000 visitors come annually, many from the entire Rhine-Main area, many from abroad, and many former Bensheim residents using the festival as a class reunion for their city.

Bensheim and the Bergstraße

Bensheim is the largest town on the Hessian Bergstraße — that wine-growing region between Darmstadt and Heidelberg, where primarily Riesling, Burgundy varieties, and Silvaner grow. The climate is mild, and spring arrives earlier here than in the rest of Germany. The wine festival showcases precisely this atmosphere: 9 days of the main street, market square, and old town alleys as a "wine village" with wine stands, stages, and snack bars.

The Grand Parade

The highlight every year is the parade on the Sunday of the second festival week: over 100 decorated floats, traditional costume groups, music bands, folklore ensembles, along with the regional wine queens, led by the Bergstraße Wine Queen. The parade is not just tradition but also a two-hour summer entertainment with confetti, music, and constant revelry.

Themed Days Over 9 Days

The festival days have focal points:

• Business Day — Companies, businesses, location policy
• Youth Day — Bands, program for the younger generation
• Club Day — Bensheim clubs in focus
• Citizens' Day — Grown from the local citizens' movement
• Open Shopping Sunday with shops open in the Old Town

What to Try

Around 160 wines from the Bergstraße region are served — from dry Riesling to top Burgundy wines, plus sparkling wine, wine cocktails, and non-alcoholic specialties. The culinary offerings are broad: grilled specialties, crêpes, pulled pork burgers, tarte flambée, regional cheese platters, Bergstraße strudel, and Bergstraße ham.

Arriving and Staying

Bensheim is located between Darmstadt and Mannheim — easily accessible from both the Rhine-Main area and the Rhine-Neckar region. Hotels in Bensheim are booked up early during the wine festival; alternatives in Heppenheim, Lorsch, or Heidelberg.