Burgfest Lupburg

A genuine hilltop castle as a festival backdrop

Lupburg Castle stands prominently above the market town of the same name in the Neumarkt district of Upper Palatinate. It is one of Bavaria's better-preserved hilltop castles, with a keep, inner courtyard, and a well-maintained outdoor area kept in shape by the local castle association. This very area is the site of the castle festival — and hardly any Bavarian castle festival has a more impressive backdrop: the ring wall, the castle courtyard, the view into the valley of the Schwarze Laber.

Bockstechen and community cup shooting

The program follows the tradition of Franconian-Upper Palatinate castle festivals: At its center is Bockstechen — a test of skill on a wooden "Bock" (buck), where two opponents try to push each other off their seats with a long, padded pole. Alongside this is the community cup shooting by the local shooting club, a competition among community clubs in sport shooting. Accompanying program: traditional costume band, catering with Upper Palatinate delicacies, bratwurst, and draft beer.

Lupburg Castle Association as organizer

The Lupburg Castle Association (Burgverein Lupburg e.V.) has been responsible for the maintenance of the castle for decades and organizes the festival weekend on a voluntary basis. The members come from the market town of Lupburg and the surrounding districts — traditional costume groups, shooting clubs, and the fire department are closely involved.

Lupburg in the Neumarkt district

The market town of Lupburg is located in the southern Upper Palatinate Jura, on the A 3 motorway between Regensburg and Nuremberg (Velburg exit). In addition to the market center, the municipality includes other districts such as Degerndorf. Besides the castle festival, the castle association also organizes other events throughout the year — such as the Degerndorf Kirchweih (mid-August) and the Lupburg Christmas market (early December).