Dorffest Merklingen

Merklingen — Village on the Swabian Jura

Merklingen is a small municipality with around 2,100 inhabitants in the Alb-Donau district (AGS 08425), located on the Swabian Jura between Ulm and Stuttgart — a typical Alb plateau municipality with agriculture, crafts, and a strong club life. Here, the Merklingen clubs — coordinated by the Merklingen Interest Group (IGM) — jointly organize their annual Dorffest. In 2026, the festival will take place on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12.

Program and Activities

The village festival offers a diverse program for all generations:

• Live band on the stage in the town center (Saturday and Sunday afternoon/evening)
• DJ on Saturday evening for dance lovers
• Night watchman tour through historic Merklingen with costumed guides and explanations of village history
• Carousel for the youngest festival guests
• Pony rides on the meadow in front of the school
• Climbing tower by the mountain rescue service for brave children and teenagers
• Historical exhibition in the old smithy or in the IGM's traditional costume house
• Tower climb of St. Maria parish church with views over the Alb plateau

Turnverein 1862 Merklingen — The Main Organizer

The main organizer is the Turnverein 1862 Merklingen e.V. — as the name suggests, one of the oldest clubs in the village, founded in 1862. Today, the TV has several departments (gymnastics, volleyball, table tennis, hiking), all of which volunteer to help with the village festival. Together with the music club, the choir, the fire department, the Red Cross, the parish council, and the traditional costume club, the TV jointly supports the festival.

Catering by the Clubs

Classic Swabian club festival cuisine: Schnitzel, Maultaschen, Spätzle, Rote (sausages), Currywurst, Fries, draft beer (Berg Brauerei Ulm), Swabian wines, and apple spritzer. Coffee and cake sale on Sunday afternoon — all cakes homemade by club members. Payment with festival chips. Free admission.

Trachtenhäusle and IGM

The Merklingen Interest Group (IGM) is a platform that has coordinated village events for years and operates the Trachtenhäusle (traditional costume house) in the town center as a collection of historical costumes and cultural artifacts. During the village festival, the Trachtenhäusle is open for visits — a small glimpse into the Swabian-Alemannic costume and cultural traditions of the Alb region.