Elversberger Kirmes

A Funfair with Tradition

The Elversberger Kirmes has been a firm fixture in the summer calendar of the Neunkirchen district for decades. Organized by the municipality of Spiesen-Elversberg, it regularly takes place in the last third of July and attracts visitors from all over the Saarland. For four days, from Friday to Monday, Jedermannsplatz and the adjacent Pestalozzistraße are completely immersed in the funfair atmosphere.

Rides and Stalls

The funfair is classic funfair format: Ferris wheel, dodgems, carousels for children, throwing stalls, shooting galleries, show booths. In between, candy stalls with candied almonds, cotton candy, chocolate-covered fruit, gingerbread hearts, plus classic snack stands with Schwenker (grilled meat skewers), Lyoner (sausage), fries, and bratwurst. A balanced mix that appeals to families in the afternoon as much as to young people in the evening.

The Program

The funfair begins on Friday at 5:30 PM with the official opening and barrel tapping – a Saarland ritual that must not be missed. On Saturday evening, the secret highlight follows: the big funfair fireworks around 10 PM, a tradition that remains untouched even in years with program changes. Sunday and Monday are more relaxed, with family afternoons and discounted rates on some rides.

Spiesen-Elversberg and its Football Soul

Spiesen-Elversberg, with around 13,000 inhabitants, is a comparatively small municipality – but known regionally for SV Elversberg, the football club that has risen to the 2. Bundesliga in recent years. The Kirmes is the Volksfest (public festival) equivalent: the place where the population meets, honors clubs, and confirms the summer with a good drink and a ride on the Ferris wheel.

Neunkirchen District

The Neunkirchen district, where Spiesen-Elversberg is located, is one of the industrially shaped districts of the Saarland. Coal, steel, and glass have shaped the landscape and mentality here for generations. A Kirmes like this is an expression of this down-to-earth festival culture, which continues to be cultivated in the Saarland despite structural change.