Forest Festivals at Lake Tegern

A Bavarian Tradition Under the Open Sky

The Waldfest is one of Upper Bavaria's most characteristic festival types: a festival in the forest, on a clearing, on an alpine meadow, or in a spa park. In the Tegernsee Valley — nestled between the Mangfall Mountains and the Bavarian Prealps, Miesbach district — the traditional costume, sports, and rifle clubs maintain this tradition with particular intensity.

The Typical Course of a Waldfest

Even though each festival has its own character, the proceedings follow a proven choreography:

• Opening with brass band music from a local ensemble
• Tegernseer beer on tap — fresh from the Tegernsee brewery
• Mountain barbecue, "Steckerlfisch" (grilled fish on a stick), "Brotzeiten" (snack platters)
• Traditional costume is not fancy dress, but everyday wear
• Village dance and occasional "Schuhplattler" (a traditional Bavarian folk dance)
• In case of bad weather, an alternative date in the festival hall

The Most Important Waldfeste of the Season

• FC Real Kreuth — Leonhardstoana Hof, Kreuth (Mid-June)
• TSV Bad Wiessee — Kurpark Abwinkl, Bad Wiessee (Mid-June)
• Gebirgsschützenkompanie Tegernsee — Rottach-Egern, with field mass
• Trachten-Waldfest Hirschbergler Kreuth — Wallbergstraße (End of June)
• Skiclub Bad Wiessee — Sonnenbichl (End of June)
• Skiclub Kreuth — Early July
• Waldfest of the Tegernsee Clubs — Schmetterlingsgarten (Mid-July, three-day event)
• Wallberger Trachtenwaldfest — Early August
• SC Ostin Waldfest — Season finale early August

Lake Festivals as Highlights

In addition to the forest festivals, three major Seefeste (lake festivals) take place in the valley with illuminated boats, fireworks, and a program: Rottach-Egern (early July), Tegernsee (late July), and Bad Wiessee (mid-August). Added to this is the Festival of Lights in Gmund (late June) with around 1,200 candles set afloat on the lake at dusk, as well as the cattle drive (Almauftrieb) in Gut Kaltenbrunn (late June) — one of the region's most popular traditional costume festivals.

Tegernseer Beer — The Common Denominator

Practically every forest festival at Lake Tegern serves beer from the traditional Tegernsee brewery, located in the ducal Bräustüberl right next to the castle. The beer connects all the festivals — and makes the Tegernsee Valley one of Upper Bavaria's most concentrated areas for forest festivals.