50th Gerolzhofen Wine Festival — Franconia's Largest Wine Bar

50 Years of Wine Festival — An Anniversary for Franconia

First celebrated in 1977, the Gerolzhofen Wine Festival is now one of the most traditional wine events in Franconian Steigerwald. The festival is organized by the town of Gerolzhofen and supported by local clubs: Gerolzhofen Winegrowers' Association, TV Gerolzhofen, FC Gerolzhofen, the fire department, and numerous other groups operate wine stands distributed throughout the old town.

Franconia's Largest Wine Bar

The slogan says it all: For four days, the entire old town is a continuous open-air wine bar. Wines from the Steigerwald Wine Panorama — the wine-growing region between Iphofen, Castell, Abtswind, and Wiesentheid — are served at club stands. The romantic gable lighting of the half-timbered houses bathes the festival in a sea of lights in the evening.

Four Stages, Four Days

The festival features live music on four stages under the motto "Your Wine Festival Gerolzhofen." The festival opens at 6 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, and at 11 AM on Sunday with a Frühschoppen (morning pint). Sunday is Family Day — the cultural association "Das Karussell" organizes a family program in the Spitalgarten, Zumba Kids perform, and the festival grounds become a day-time experience for parents and children.

Franconian Cuisine and Festival Beer

The culinary offerings include Franconian sausages, juicy steaks, schnitzel sandwiches, pizza, burgers, and crêpes. A special feature: the local fire department brews its own festival beer for each wine festival — a tribute to the town's dual identity between Franconian wine and beer regions. In the garden locations, sparkling wine (Secco) and wine specialties complement the range.

Gerolzhofen — Gateway to the Steigerwald

Gerolzhofen is located in the Schweinfurt district on the edge of the Steigerwald Nature Park. The town was once the seat of the Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg and has a compact, well-preserved old town with remnants of its city walls. The Wine Festival is the town's biggest summer event — visitors can combine their weekend with hikes or bike tours through the Steigerwald Wine Panorama.