Erntedankfest Bad Birnbach

Rottal Harvest Thanksgiving Tradition

The Erntedankfest Bad Birnbach is one of the oldest folk traditions in the Lower Bavarian Rottal. At its heart is the thanks to creation for the fruits and gifts of nature — a ritual deeply rooted in the predominantly Catholic region, which has been lovingly maintained in Bad Birnbach for generations. The festival is supported by the municipality of Bad Birnbach and local associations.

Thanksgiving Procession and Parade

The day begins with a solemn thanksgiving procession through the town center. Afterwards, the grand parade sets off: traditional costume groups, Goldhauben women, brass bands, local associations, and lovingly decorated harvest wagons laden with sheaves, fruit, and vegetables move from the parish church square to the Neuer Marktplatz. A lively open-air dance festival follows.

Craft Market and Sunday Shopping

Concurrently, a craft market opens, featuring regional producers, demonstrators of old crafts (basket weaving, blacksmithing, brush making), and stalls selling cider, Schmalzbrot (lard bread), and Rottal specialties. The shops in Bad Birnbach participate with a Sunday opening, and the cafés around the 'Neuer Marktplatz' — a piazza in the town center with a Mediterranean flair — become a popular meeting point.

Bad Birnbach and the Rottal Region

Bad Birnbach is part of the Rottal-Inn district in Lower Bavaria and is known as a spa town thanks to the Bayerische Rottal Terme thermal baths. The Erntedankfest perfectly complements this blend of spa resort and rural tradition: a day where the local population celebrates a centuries-old custom together with spa guests from all over Bavaria and Austria.