Breisgauer Weinfest Emmendingen

Breisgauer Weinfest — Four Days in Emmendingen's Old Town

The Breisgauer Weinfest in Emmendingen is the most important wine festival on the eastern edge of the Kaiserstuhl and one of the largest wine festivals in Southern Baden. In 2026, the 53rd edition will take place from August 14th to 17th, 2026, in the historic old town of Emmendingen. 16 wineries and wine cooperatives will serve their wines from the entire Breisgau wine region — according to the organizer, over 200 wines and sparkling wines, which is one of the largest tasting selections among German wine festivals.

Three Stages, Three Festival Areas

The festival is spread across three central areas of the old town, each with its own stage and atmosphere:

• Schlossplatz — Main stage with live music, largest catering area
• Landvogtei — The historic vogtei building complex as a second stage with a more upscale atmosphere and acoustic program
• Stadtkirche area — Third stage with catering and program highlights

The Crowning of the Wine Princess

One of the central program traditions is the crowning of the new Breisgau Wine Princess on the opening day (Friday, August 14th, 2026). The Wine Princess is an ambassador for the Breisgau wine region throughout the year at trade fairs, tastings, and special events — the crowning in Emmendingen is the official handover of duties. A beautiful tradition that anchors the festival.

Over 200 Wines and Sparkling Wines from the Breisgau Wine Region

The Breisgau wine region extends east of the Kaiserstuhl and west of the Black Forest along the Upper Rhine Plain — one of Germany's warmest and sunniest growing regions. The participating wineries and cooperatives bring the entire range of varieties:

• Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) — the regional king variety, often award-winning in recent years
• Müller-Thurgau — the smooth, light early white wine
• Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) — medium-bodied, full-bodied white wine
• Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) — fresh, mineral white wine
• Riesling, Gutedel, Chardonnay, sparkling wines, and rosés in many variations

Festival Closing with Fireworks

On Monday evening — the last day of the festival — a large fireworks display is traditionally set off over the old town. This is the acoustic and visual highlight of the festival, which can be observed from many points in the old town and from the market square.

Emmendingen — District Capital

With just under 28,000 inhabitants, Emmendingen is the district capital of the Emmendingen district of the same name, located 15 km north of Freiburg im Breisgau. The old town with its castle, Landvogtei, and Stadtkirche preserves a historic substance from the 16th to 19th centuries — a perfect stage for the annual major wine festival event. In normal weeks, Emmendingen is a quiet medium-sized town; during the four festival days, the population doubles due to visitors from Southern Baden, Switzerland, and Alsace.