Name: Etzenrichter Kirwa 2026
Start: 2026-10-09T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-10-18T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Sportgelände SV Etzenricht

Etzenrichter Kirwa

About Etzenrichter Kirwa

In Etzenricht in the northern Upper Palatinate, the Kirwa (a traditional folk festival) is celebrated not on one, but on two weekends: two October weekends with a prize sheep's head card game (Preisschafkopf), party nights with live bands, a Kirwa Olympics, the dancing of the Kirwa tree (Austanzen des Kirwabaums), and extensive festival tent catering in a heated tent on the sports grounds of SV Etzenricht. Organized by Kirwaleit Etzenricht e.V., the Kirwa is one of the liveliest folk festivals in the Neustadt an der Waldnaab district.

Dates 09 Oct — 18 Oct 2026

Venue Etzenricht (09374)

Prices Free

Status —

Edition 2026

Etzenrichter Kirwa — edition 2026

The Etzenrichter Kirwa 2026 will traditionally be celebrated over two weekends in October. First festival week Oct 9/10/11 with Preisschafkopf on Friday (8:00 PM, €12 entry fee, €600 prize money) and party night with live band on Saturday. Second weekend Oct 16/17/18 with festival evening on Saturday and Kirwa Sunday on Oct 18 (lunch by Witts from Weiherhammer, Kirwa Olympics at 1:30 PM with 60 liters of beer for the winners, dancing of the Kirwa tree). Festival tent at SV Etzenricht sports grounds.

2026 Program

The 2026 edition follows the proven format with two weekends and identical program points as in previous years. Exact date calculation via the calendar of Kirwaleit Etzenricht e.V.; the tradition follows the October weekend around the Gallus Church Consecration Day.

Highlights Etzenrichter Kirwa 2026

Two weekends of Kirwa instead of one
Preisschafkopf with €600 prize money on the first Friday
Kirwa Olympics with 60 liters of beer as the grand prize
Dancing of the Kirwa tree by the Kirwa couples
Lunch by Witts from Weiherhammer
Heated festival tent at the sports grounds

Programme Etzenrichter Kirwa 2026

First Weekend: October 9–11, 2026

Friday, October 9 – Preisschafkopf

7:00 PM — Admission to the festival tent
8:00 PM — Start of Preisschafkopf on the sports club terrace
Entry fee €12, total prize money €600

Saturday, October 10 – Party Night

8:30 PM — Party time in the tent (Kirwa Special) with live band (in 2025: Rundumadum, in 2026 likely similar live act level)

Second Weekend: October 16–18, 2026

Saturday, October 17 – Festival Evening

Evening — Festival tent evening with live folk music band (in 2025: Grögötz Weißbir)

Sunday, October 18 – Kirwa Sunday (Main Festival)

11:30 AM — Lunch in the festival tent: Witts from Weiherhammer as caterer with duck, roast pork, pork shoulder, schnitzel, and vegan Thai curry
1:30 PM — Kirwa Olympics on the sports grounds: skill disciplines for teams, winning team receives 60 liters of beer
Afternoon — Austanzen des Kirwabaums (dancing of the Kirwa tree) by the Kirwa couples in traditional costume, appointment of the head Kirwa couple
Evening — Festival winding down in the tent

Current detailed program on Instagram of Etzenrichter Kirwaleit.

Prices Etzenrichter Kirwa 2026

Preisschafkopf entry fee €12, otherwise free admission. Sunday lunch à la carte (duck approx. €18, pork shoulder approx. €14), liter of beer approx. €9.

Practical information

Practical information — Etzenrichter Kirwa

Getting There

By car via the A93 (exit Weiden), then approx. 10 minutes to Etzenricht. By train to Weiden in der Oberpfalz, then bus. Parking at the sports grounds is free.

Admission

Preisschafkopf entry fee €12 (with €600 prize money). Other events are free admission. Catering with Upper Palatinate daily specials.

Tip

Those who want to experience the dancing of the Kirwa tree on Kirwa Sunday should be there from 2:00 PM. Sunday lunch (Witts from Weiherhammer) is legendary – reserve the duck!

A Kirwa with Two Weekends

The Etzenrichter Kirwa differs from most Franconian-Upper Palatinate Kirchweihen (church consecration festivals) due to its unusual length: instead of one weekend, celebrations last for two weekends in October. This has historical reasons – in the past, farmers wanted to celebrate in two stages after the harvest and slaughter festivals, rather than cramming everything into one weekend. Today, this has evolved into a unique, multi-part festival format.

Etzenricht – A Vibrant Upper Palatinate Village

Etzenricht is a municipality with around 2,500 inhabitants in the Neustadt an der Waldnaab district, in the northern Upper Palatinate, not far from Weiden. The community is characterized by its active club life – volunteer fire department, marksmen's club, sports club SV Etzenricht, and the Etzenrichter Kirwaleit e.V. as the custodian of the Kirwa tradition.

First Weekend – Prize Sheep's Head and Party

The event kicks off every year with the Preisschafkopf (prize sheep's head card game) on Friday in the heated festival tent – a competition of the classic Bavarian card game with a total prize money of €600. Starts at 8:00 PM, admission at 7:00 PM, entry fee €12.

The Saturday brings party time in the tent with a live band (most recently Rundumadum), keeping the atmosphere lively with cover and party hits well past midnight.

Second Weekend – Climax and Dancing

The second weekend is the actual Kirwa weekend. On Saturday, bands like Grögötz Weißbir or similar folk music acts provide entertainment. The highlight is the Kirwa Sunday: lunch from 11:30 AM with Witts from Weiherhammer as the festival caterer (duck, roast pork, pork shoulder, schnitzel, and even vegan Thai curry for the younger generation); in the afternoon, the Kirwa Olympics with team disciplines – winners receive 60 liters of beer; and towards the evening, the traditional Austanzen des Kirwabaums (dancing of the Kirwa tree).

The Kirwa Olympics

The Kirwa Olympics are among the favorite traditions of the Etzenrichter Kirwa. Teams of young adults and families compete in skill-based disciplines – sawing contest, stein-holding, obstacle course, tug-of-war. The winning team receives 60 liters of beer as the grand prize – an incentive that ensures full participation every year.

Festival Tent Atmosphere

The heated tent on the SV Etzenricht sports grounds can accommodate several hundred guests. Long wooden benches, beer table sets, live music from the stage, catering from the sports club's restaurant – classic Upper Palatinate festival tent atmosphere, with the added bonus of a heated interior (important for October).

A Festival for the Northern Upper Palatinate

Visitors to the Etzenrichter Kirwa will find not a tourist event, but a genuine Upper Palatinate folk festival tradition with youthful energy. The Kirwaleit Etzenricht e.V. organizes the festival on a voluntary basis, and many young adults contribute to its success through their involvement.