Geseeser Kerwa

A Village Fair Saved by an Association

Until 2011, the Geseeser Kerwa was supported by the local inn. When the innkeeper closed down, one of the oldest customs of the Upper Franconian community of Gesees was threatened with extinction. Young villagers then founded the association Gseesa Kewaboschn und -madla and have been organizing the Kirchweih themselves ever since – in close cooperation with the local sports and shooting clubs.

Franconian Kerwa Customs

As everywhere in the Franconian region, the Geseeser Kerwa thrives on a series of traditional customs: On Kerwa Sunday, the Kerwaboschn and -madla, dressed in traditional costume, parade through the village. On Kerwa Monday's house tour, they go from house to house according to old custom, where they collect schnapps, doughnuts, and a few Heller coins for the Kerwa sack. Wednesday evening marks the start with the crowning of the Kerwa couples, Thursday features the traditional Schlachtschüssel (meat feast), and Friday and Saturday are dedicated to dance evenings in the festival tent.

Gesees – Where the Franconian Switzerland meets the Bayreuth Countryside

Gesees is located about ten kilometers west of Bayreuth, nestled in the hilly landscape between the Fichtelgebirge and the Franconian Switzerland. In recent years, the Kirchweih has become a regional attraction – not least because the voluntary organization by the Kerwaboschn gives the festival a particularly authentic character.