Grenzlandfest Zwiesel

A Volksfest since 1880

The Grenzlandfest Zwiesel was founded in 1880 when Zwiesel, a growing market town in the Bavarian Forest, decided to compete with the larger cities of Straubing and Landshut by hosting a "regional Volksfest". This self-confidence has led to what is now the largest Volksfest in the Bavarian Forest – nine days, a festival tent, an amusement park, parades, and a program calendar that is cherished from generation to generation. The name "Grenzland" (borderland) refers to Zwiesel's location near the Czech border – a deliberately cross-border self-definition.

Zwiesel – The Glass City

Zwiesel is a small town in the Regen district of the Bavarian Forest, with just under 9,000 inhabitants. It is known as the Glass City: Glass has been blown and refined here since the 15th century; international manufacturers such as Zwiesel Kristallglas, Zwiesel Glas, and the Glass Museum Frauenau shape its identity. The Grenzlandfest adds a cultural and social dimension to this industrial heritage – the glass city celebrates itself and its connection to the region.

Festival Week Program

The Grenzlandfest has a fixed program rhythm. Four fixed program days run through each edition:

• Youth Day – a day for schools, youth clubs, and young families
• City Day (Municipal Day) – with special recognition for the city community, clubs, and public officials
• Children's and Family Day – discounted rides, family program
• Fireworks Display on the second Sunday of the festival – the concluding fireworks, widely visible from the surrounding hills

Bavarian Forest Traditions

In addition to the classic festival tent program, the Grenzlandfest incorporates specifically Bavarian Forest traditions:

• Oldtimer Grenzland Meeting – a gathering of historic vehicles of all classes
• Brewery Wagon Skill Driving – local breweries (especially Dampfbierbrauerei Zwiesel) compete against the clock with their beer wagons
• Wolfauslassen – an old Bavarian custom where cows with large bells herald the end of the alpine grazing season; incorporated into the festival in Zwiesel
• Flag Swinging – traditional parades with artistically swung flags of the clubs

Parade and Festival Tent

The highlights are the grand parade on the first Saturday of the festival (through the town center to the festival grounds, featuring traditional costume groups, music bands, shooting clubs, and floats from neighboring towns) and the festival tent with Bavarian party music, brass bands, and cover bands. Catering is provided by local restaurateurs, with local beer (Dampfbier Zwiesel) and traditional Bavarian specialties.