Ehinger Kirbe — Stadtfest

From Construction Site Festival to Stadtfest

What began in 1976/77 as a small construction site festival after the redesign of the market square has developed into the most important summer event in Ehingen in almost five decades. The Kirbe — Swabian for Kirchweihfest (church consecration festival) — has been organized annually by the mayor's office together with Ehingen's clubs. Around 40 clubs from the city center and its districts set up their stalls around the historic burgher houses on the market square, ranging from football clubs and music associations to the volunteer fire brigade and parish communities.

Stage in the Middle of the City

The large stage in the market square is the center of the festival. It serves as a venue for local bands, choirs, dance groups, the music clubs from the districts, and for performances by regional cover bands in the evenings. The selection is deliberately broad — brass music in the afternoon, Schlager and rock in the evening, and Swabian dialect bands between sets. The audience dances, eats, and drinks in the alleys around the market square until well after midnight.

Culinary Delights from the Alb-Donau District

The catering stalls run by the clubs are the true heart of the Kirbe. Swabian classics such as Maultaschen, Linsen mit Spätzle (lentils with egg noodles), Zwiebelrostbraten (roast beef with onions), and Saiten (sausages) are found alongside pizza, crêpes, and Mediterranean cuisine from partner regions. The beer comes from the regional top brewery Berg in Ehingen and other breweries of the "Ehinger Bierkultur" (Ehingen Beer Culture) — Ehingen officially promotes itself as a beer culture city with four traditional breweries.

Peaceful Coexistence

The city emphasizes that the Kirbe is "a peaceful festival of conviviality and diversity." Club life in the "Große Kreisstadt" is made visible on stage and at the stalls — Ehingen has around 27,000 inhabitants and belongs to the Alb-Donau district, with Ulm as its district capital. The Kirbe is one of the most traditional Stadtfeste (city festivals) on the upper Danube.