Mainschleifen-Fährenfestival Wipfeld

The Ferry Festival on the Mainschleife

The Mainschleifen-Fährenfestival is a biennial joint event of the three ferry communities of Wipfeld, Fahr, and Obereisenheim along the famous Volkach Mainschleife. The historic cable ferries – the lifeline between the wine villages on the right and left banks of the Main for centuries – are the focus of a festival on this July weekend, combining Franconian wine culture, music, and river romance.

Wine, Music, and Riverside

Wine stalls of local vintners, catering tents of clubs, and stages with live bands line the ferry docks. On the Wipfeld side, Weingut Lother and friendly wineries set up their stalls – Silvaner, Bacchus, Müller-Thurgau, and Domina from the steep slopes of the Mainschleife are served by the glass. Franconian combos and brass bands play on a small stage directly by the water on Saturday evening and Sunday.

Motorboat Parade and Fireworks

The highlight is the motorboat parade with the Wine Queens of the Mainschleife: Queens and princesses of the three wine villages travel along the Main on festively decorated boats, greeting guests at the docks. Late on Saturday evening, a fireworks display over the Main crowns the festival – the reflections on the water's surface and on the steep slopes are known far beyond the region.

Wipfeld on the Mainschleife

Wipfeld is a wine-growing community with about 1,200 inhabitants in the district of Schweinfurt in Lower Franconia (state of Bavaria). The village is located directly on the Main between Volkach and Schweinfurt, nestled in one of Franconia's most beautiful river landscapes. The cable ferry, which has connected Wipfeld with Eichelsee on the opposite bank since the Middle Ages, is one of the last actively operated cable ferries in Bavaria. The Mainschleife itself – a 17-kilometer-long S-shaped river bend – is one of Germany's best-known wine-growing regions.

Atmosphere and Tradition

The festival is small, familiar, and warm – not an over-commercialized major event, but a typical Franconian wine festival with a village character. Free admission, payment at the stalls with cash or tokens. Celebrations go on late into the night, and dancing is popular on the Mainstraße. Those needing a break can take the ferry to the other side – that's also part of the experience.