44th Village Festival Mölbis (Rötha)

44 Years of Mölbis Village Festival

Mölbis is a district of the town of Rötha in the Leipzig district (state of Saxony) — a small settlement in the southern Leipzig region, characterized by agricultural structures and the historical heritage of lignite mining. The Mölbis village festival has been organized for decades by the Dorfentwicklungsgesellschaft Mölbis e.V. and is considered one of the oldest and most stable village festivals in the region. The 44th edition will take place from June 12th to 14th, 2026 — a remarkable testament to the resilience of a village festival across generations.

Three Days of Village Community

The village festival traditionally runs from Friday to Sunday and integrates various program elements: Friday evening welcome and opening with local music; Saturday main festival day with an extensive program — family program, sports demonstrations, live music, festival dance in the evening; Sunday morning pint with brass bands, morning pint program, club presentation, and closing in the late afternoon. A motocross competition will also take place on June 13th and 14th, 2026, adding a sporting component to the festival weekend.

Social Function

Unlike the city festivals of large district towns, the Mölbis village festival has less of a show character and fulfills an important social function: it is the annual meeting point for the village community, where generations come together, former residents return for visits, and volunteers from the Dorfentwicklungsgesellschaft present their work to the village. This function is reflected in the choice of program — primarily traditional folk music, Schlager, family activities, less avant-garde or major acts. Admission to the festival is usually free.

Mölbis and the Southern Leipzig Region

Mölbis is located in the so-called Südraum Leipzig — a region that was heavily shaped by lignite mining for decades and is now developing a second identity as a lake landscape (renatured opencast mine remnants like Markkleeberger See, Cospudener See). Rötha itself is a small town with about 7,000 inhabitants, of which Mölbis is a district. Travel from Leipzig by train to Rötha or Borna, then by bus to Mölbis. By car via the A 38 (Leipzig–Halle), exit Borna, then country road to Mölbis.

Program 2026 — Details to follow

The exact detailed program for 2026 will be published in spring 2026 by the Dorfentwicklungsgesellschaft Mölbis e.V. — the club structures are voluntary, and the program development is only carried out during the festival year through sponsor acquisition, artist booking, and logistics preparation. Inquiries can be made via the club's homepage deg-moelbis.blogspot.com or via the Rötha town hall. Those who wish to visit the festival should inquire about local accommodation options in good time — there are very few in Mölbis itself; it is better to stay in Borna or Markkleeberg.