Great Seiffen Miners' Parade

Tradition since the Middle Ages

Miners' parades in the Ore Mountains date back to the Middle Ages and originated from festive processions by miners on church and court occasions. The traditional costumes — a mix of miner's uniform, courtly festive clothing, and regional customs — are now part of Germany's intangible cultural heritage (UNESCO recognized since 2014 as «Mining Culture Erzgebirge»). The Seiffen Miners' Parade is one of the most traditional and colorful — the toy town with its baroque church and typical Ore Mountain row of houses forms an exceptionally atmospheric backdrop.

Over 400 Costumed Figures

The parade is led by the Seiffen Mining and Smelting Guild — the local guild association that preserves the tradition. In addition, there is the children's costume group «Lebendiges Spielzeug» (a nod to Seiffen's identity as a toy town) and friendly guilds from other Ore Mountain towns such as Annaberg-Buchholz, Marienberg, Schwarzenberg, and Olbernhau. A total of over 400 costumed figures march in a disciplined procession along the main street — the men in dark blue habits with silver-trimmed cuffs, the women in traditional Ore Mountain costumes, and the children in miniature versions. Mining bands accompany the parade with miners' marches and Christmas carols.

Parade Route

The parade starts at the Haus des Gastes and proceeds along the Hauptstraße towards the Hotel Seiffener Hof, then turns back to the main intersection, and finally proceeds towards the church, ending at the Rathausplatz. The total route is about 1 km long and takes 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the pace of the guilds. Thousands of spectators line the street — those who want a good view should arrive in good time (one to one and a half hours before 3:30 PM).

Seiffen — the Toy Town

Seiffen, with just under 2,000 inhabitants, is one of the most famous places in the Ore Mountains — known worldwide as a toy town. Since the 17th century, the typical Ore Mountain wooden toys have been manufactured here: nutcrackers, Christmas pyramids, candle arches, and animal figures. The Ore Mountain Toy Museum and the Open-Air Museum document this tradition. During the Advent season, the entire town transforms into an open-air Christmas market, with the miners' parade as its liturgical center.