48. Filderkrautfest

Filderkrautfest — Germany's Largest Krauthocketse

The Filderkrautfest was launched in Echterdingen in 1978 and will celebrate its 48th edition in 2026. Since 2018, the festival has been organised by the specially founded KE Krautfest Echterdingen UG, a municipal service company responsible for the event's logistics. However, the festival's content is driven by the over 100 local clubs and associations — from the fire brigade and sports clubs to church and cultural associations. "For more than four decades, it has been organised not by an event agency, but by local clubs and organisations" — and that is what defines its character.

Filderspitzkohl — The Star Ingredient

The centrepiece of the festival is the Filderspitzkohl — a pointed cabbage variety, cultivated over generations by local farmers, with a fine, mild aroma. It has been grown on the fertile loess soils of the Filder region, the high plateau between Stuttgart and the Swabian Jura, since the late 16th century. Due to its rarity, the Filderspitzkohl has been included in the Slow Food Ark of Taste — an international initiative to protect endangered heritage crops.

Programme — Cabbage Cutting Competition, Music, Amusement Rides

Three days of festivities in the centre of Echterdingen offer:
• Cabbage Cutting Competition — a historical competition that showcases the tradition of cabbage processing
• Live Music on several stages — from brass bands and Schlager to rock
• Dance Performances by local dance groups
• Amusement Rides for families
• Vintage Car Show by local car clubs
• Culinary Specialities — Schupfnudeln with cabbage, Krautburger, cabbage rolls, sauerkraut variations, Swabian classics, and the Echterdinger Deien (local baked goods)
• Late-Night Shopping at Echterdingen's shops on Saturday.
Exhibitor registration opens on June 4th, 2026.

Leinfelden-Echterdingen and the Filder Region

Leinfelden-Echterdingen (Esslingen district, AGS 08116, approx. 41,000 inhabitants) is located on the Filder plateau south of Stuttgart, directly adjacent to Stuttgart Airport. The town was formed in 1975 from the merger of Leinfelden, Echterdingen, Musberg, and Stetten — and is today one of the most dynamic economic centres in the Stuttgart region. The Echterdingen district, where the Filderkrautfest takes place, has retained its village character — and the Filderkrautfest is an expression of this conscious preservation of local heritage.