Frühlingsvolksfest Gera

16 Days of Volksfest in Hofwiesenpark

With its 16 festival days, the Frühlingsvolksfest Gera is one of the longest Volksfeste in Eastern Thuringia — a classic in the city's event calendar. On the fairgrounds in Hofwiesenpark, one of Gera's largest parks, around 33 showman businesses set up their stalls, carousels, and rides. The spectrum ranges from classic children's carousels and the Ferris wheel to roller coasters, bumper cars, and wave flyers, as well as the high-altitude swing and modern adrenaline attractions. There's something for every age group.

Family Program and Culinary Diversity

Alongside the rides, snack stands offer classic festival fare: Thuringian Bratwurst, candied almonds, cotton candy, potato pancakes, crêpes, gingerbread, along with beer, wine, mulled wine in cool spring weather, soft drinks, and cocktails at the bars. Family days with reduced admission prices for rides are a regular part of the program. On weekends, club and festival tents offer live music and dancing.

Sunday Openings for Shopping and Festival Fireworks

The Frühlingsvolksfest is integrated into the city-wide program: on Sundays when shops are open, the city center stores are open, and many visitors combine a visit to the Volksfest with a stroll through the city. Traditionally, the highlight is a large festival fireworks display on the night of the closing day, May 3 — when the park is illuminated by hundreds of thousands of sparkling lights, spectacularly concluding the spring season opener.

Gera — Otto Dix City in Eastern Thuringia

With around 93,000 inhabitants, Gera is the third-largest city in the state of Thuringia, located in the east on the White Elster river. During the GDR era, the city was an industrial center (uranium-Wismut mining, textiles) and today boasts a rich cultural infrastructure with the Altenburg-Gera Theater, the Otto Dix House (birthplace of the painter), the Kulturarena, and Hofwiesenpark. Hofwiesenpark, with its approximately 19 hectares, is the green heart of the city and the central venue for open-air and festival events — from the Frühlingsvolksfest in April and the Höhler-Tour series to the Kulturarena in the summer.