Name: Freihunger Kirwa 2026
Start: 2026-11-06T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-11-08T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Gemeindezentrum Freihung

Freihunger Kirwa

About Freihunger Kirwa

The Freihunger Kirwa is the traditional autumn Kirchweih (church consecration festival) of the market community Freihung in the Upper Palatinate district of Amberg-Sulzbach. Organized by the association Freihunger Kirwaleit e.V., it is a typical Upper Palatinate Kirwa with the customs characteristic of the region: Kirwabaum (Kirwa tree), Kirwapaare (Kirwa couples - Kirwamoidln and Kirwabuam), Baumaustanzen (tree dancing) and the crowning of the Oberkirwapaar (head Kirwa couple). The festival takes place in November in the Freihung community center and is characterized by Kirwamusik (Kirwa music), dancing, and convivial inn atmosphere. In addition to the main Kirwa in the town center, there are other Kirwa dates in the municipality, such as the Kirwa in the Seugast district. The Freihunger Kirwa is a firmly established annual tradition in the festival calendar of the northern Upper Palatinate.

Dates 06 Nov — 08 Nov 2026

Venue Freihung (09371)

Prices —

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Freihunger Kirwa — edition 2026

The Freihunger Kirwa 2026 takes place from November 6 to 8 in the Freihung community center. Organized by Freihunger Kirwaleit e.V., the traditional Upper Palatinate Kirchweih features the characteristic customs with Kirwabaum, Kirwapaare (Kirwa couples - Kirwamoidln and Kirwabuam), Baumaustanzen, and Kirwamusik. It kicks off on Friday evening, with the highlight on Sunday featuring the fetching of the Kirwapaare and the tree dancing. The Kirwa in the Seugast district takes place around mid-October.

The 2026 edition follows the established schedule of the Upper Palatinate Kirwa: Friday evening opening with bar and tent operations (from approx. 8:00 PM), Saturday the setting up and decorating of the Kirwabaum and a children's program, Sunday the traditional climax with the fetching of the Kirwamoidln by the Kirwabuam and the Baumaustanzen, where the Oberkirwapaar is determined.

In addition to the main Kirwa in the town center, the Kirwa in the Seugast district takes place on its own date in mid-October (Gasthaus Hammer Weickenricht, Sportheim Seugast). The Freihunger Kirwa is a firmly established annual tradition of the northern Upper Palatinate.

Highlights Freihunger Kirwa 2026

Traditional Upper Palatinate Kirwa with Kirwabaum and Baumaustanzen, Kirwapaare in traditional costume (Kirwamoidln and Kirwabuam), determination of the Oberkirwapaar, Kirwamusik and dancing, convivial inn and tent atmosphere in the Freihung community center.

Programme Freihunger Kirwa 2026

Friday, November 6, 2026 — Opening

From approx. 8:00 PM: Opening with bar and tent operations in the community center

Saturday, November 7, 2026

Setting up and decorating the Kirwabaum
Children's program
Evening Kirwamusik and dancing

Sunday, November 8, 2026 — Climax

Fetching of the Kirwamoidln by the Kirwabuam
Baumaustanzen around the decorated Kirwabaum
Determination of the Oberkirwapaar
Convivial closing

Prices Freihunger Kirwa 2026

Association festival with catering; individual program points may have an admission fee. Current prices available from the market community Freihung and the channels of Freihunger Kirwaleit e.V.

Practical information

Practical information — Freihunger Kirwa

Getting There

Freihung is located in the Amberg-Sulzbach district, accessible via state roads from the direction of Vilseck/Amberg and by train via the Freihung stop (Amberg–Weiden line).

Venue

Freihung Community Center, 92271 Freihung. Program points typically in the evening (approx. 8:00 PM–11:00 PM).

Date

November weekend. Other Kirwa in the Seugast district in mid-October (Gasthaus Hammer Weickenricht, Sportheim Seugast).

Admission

Association festival with catering; individual program points may have an admission fee. Current details available from the market community Freihung and the channels of Freihunger Kirwaleit e.V.

Organizer

Freihunger Kirwaleit e.V. — Information via markt-freihung.de and the association's social media channels.

Upper Palatinate Kirwa Customs in Freihung

Freihung is a market community in the Amberg-Sulzbach district in the Upper Palatinate. The Freihunger Kirwa is the central Kirchweih of the town and is organized by the association Freihunger Kirwaleit e.V. It stands in the vibrant tradition of the Upper Palatinate Kirwa — a form of Kirchweih that is still particularly intensively cultivated with customs in the region today.

Kirwabaum, Kirwapaare and Baumaustanzen

The centerpiece of every Upper Palatinate Kirwa is the Kirwabaum, a tall, decorated tree around which the Baumaustanzen takes place at the climax of the festival. The young Kirwapaare (Kirwamoidln and Kirwabuam) dance in traditional costume around the tree; the Oberkirwapaar, who leads the Kirwa, is determined by a lottery with a bouquet of flowers. The customs are accompanied by Kirwamusik and traditional dances.

Festival Schedule in the Community Center

The Freihunger Kirwa spans several days around a November weekend and takes place in the Freihung Community Center. Typically, there is an opening on Friday evening with bar and tent operations, on Saturday the setting up and decorating of the Kirwabaum as well as a children's program, and on Sunday the climax with the fetching of the Kirwapaare and the Baumaustanzen. The event usually concludes with a convivial get-together with card games.

Other Kirwa Dates in the Municipality

In addition to the main Kirwa in the town center, there are other Kirwa festivals in the municipality, especially the Kirwa in the Seugast district with its own date (around mid-October, at the Gasthaus Hammer Weickenricht and the Sportheim Seugast). This decentralized Kirwa culture is typical for the Upper Palatinate, where many districts maintain their own Kirchweih.

Significance in the Upper Palatinate Festival Calendar

The Freihunger Kirwa is one of the numerous autumn Kirwa events that characterize the late autumn in the Upper Palatinate. As an annual association festival with lively customs, it attracts visitors from Freihung, the Amberg-Sulzbach district, and the surrounding region.