Bleelumbe-Kerwe Ziegelhausen 2026

District festival with a water tradition

The Bleelumbe-Kerwe is the traditional Kerwe (Kirchweihfest, or church fair) of the Heidelberg district of Ziegelhausen, always celebrated on the third weekend in July. The venue is the Kerweplatz am Kucheblech on Kleingemünder Straße — a meadow directly on the Neckar, framed by the old town center of Ziegelhausen and the surrounding hills. The organizers are the Ziegelhäuser Karneval Gesellschaft 1913 e.V. and the district association Ziegelhausen und Peterstal e.V., supported by numerous other local associations.

The Kerweliesel arrives by boat

The highlight of the Bleelumbe-Kerwe is the unique spectacle on Friday evening: The Kerweliesel — a traditional straw doll symbolizing the Kerwe — does not arrive on foot, but by boat. She lands at the Adler-Überfahrt (a historic Neckar ferry point), is ceremonially welcomed, and brought to the Kerweplatz in a procession. There, she will symbolically liven up the Kerwe throughout the weekend — washerwomen's dance, Kerwe sermon, and the Kerwe concludes on Sunday evening (traditionally, the Kerweliesel is burned at the end). This water tradition is unique in Heidelberg and reflects Ziegelhausen's historical connection to the Neckar.

Washerwomen's dance and jazz brunch

The program alternates between traditional elements and festival culture. The Washerwomen's dance is a local tradition — a humorous performance in historical costumes, recalling the time when women washed laundry on the Neckar. The jazz brunch on Saturday morning has become an established institution with a regional jazz combo. For children, there is a flea market and age-appropriate activities.

Ziegelhausen — Heidelberg's district on the Neckar

Ziegelhausen (with the associated district of Peterstal) is one of Heidelberg's northeastern districts, located a few kilometers upstream from Heidelberg Castle on the right bank of the Neckar. With around 9,000 inhabitants, Ziegelhausen is one of the greener and quieter districts — a residential area with forests, vineyards, and access to the Neckar. The Bleelumbe-Kerwe is an expression of a strong district identity: a festival by Ziegelhausen residents for Ziegelhausen residents, with associations rather than commerce, on the Neckar rather than in the city center, with its own tradition (Kerweliesel boat landing) rather than interchangeable city festival folklore.