Giersleben Village and Club Festival with Wipper Race

Wipper Race — Not a Boat Race, but a Tire Race

The Wipper Race in Giersleben is a unique event found nowhere else. In the past, participants raced down the Wipper river in self-built boats — today, they use tractor tires to navigate the river, a quirky and rather wet affair. It's one of those village peculiarities that only works in a specific place and holds a community together. The Wipper is a tributary of the Saale river, winding through the Salzlandkreis — and right through Giersleben.

Tug-of-War for Six Barrels of Beer

Alongside this is the Tug-of-War for Six Barrels of Beer. Local clubs, sports teams, and fire brigades compete against each other — and the winning team gets to drink the spoils on the festival evening itself. It's a tradition that survived the GDR era and was not abolished after 1990, but rather polished up. Added to this are shooting competitions (at the sports club's range), a disco in the festival tent, and on Sunday, Family Day with a children's program.

Giersleben in the Salzlandkreis

Giersleben is a small village in the municipality of Stadt Güsten in the Salzlandkreis. The region between Aschersleben, Bernburg, and Quedlinburg is predominantly agricultural — fertile Magdeburger Börde soils, lots of sugar beet and wheat. The village festival reflects this rural tradition: no pretentiousness, just honest village community. At the Heimatfestplatz, tents, a stage, shooting ranges, and a beer tent stand under old linden trees.

History and Present

The format has been demonstrably documented for over a decade (2013, 2014, 2022, 2024, 2025) and is supported by an alliance of local clubs. In the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Salzlandkreis district, it is one of the livelier village festivals — precisely because it doesn't try to be anything other than a village festival with its own character.