Härdepfel-Dorffest Forchheim

Härdepfel-Dorffest — Alemannic Tradition on the Kaiserstuhl

The Härdepfel-Dorffest Forchheim is the traditional summer village festival of the Forchheim town center on the Kaiserstuhl, in the district of Emmendingen. The name comes from the Alemannic dialect: "Härdepfel" means "potatoes" — rooting the festival tradition in rural daily life, potato harvests, and the regional potato dishes that make Forchheim and Kaiserstuhl famous. The organizer is the Forchheimer Vereinsgemeinschaft, an association of local clubs that jointly support the festival.

What to Experience

Eight clubs serve food in their own stalls — music club, KLJB (Catholic Rural Youth Movement), Hirschenclub, sports club, and others. Each stall has its own specialty: grilled steaks, sausages, Maultaschen, cheese platters, salads, plus classic potato dishes (fried potatoes, potato salad, stuffed potatoes). Drinks: Wine from the Kaiserstuhl (Spätburgunder, Grauburgunder, Müller-Thurgau), draft beer, cocktails, strawberry punch, liqueurs. Live bands play on all three festival days — such as the Infinity Partyband, which has been a regular guest in recent years.

When and Where

The festival traditionally takes place on the second August weekend. In 2026, this is expected to be August 8–10 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). The venue is the Forchheim festival grounds around the Festhalle in the town center. In good weather, the festival takes place mainly outdoors; in case of rain, the Festhalle provides shelter and the main stage. Exact dates for 2026 will be announced on the festival website and via Facebook.

Forchheim am Kaiserstuhl

Forchheim is a municipality in the district of Emmendingen with around 2,500 inhabitants, on the western edge of the Kaiserstuhl directly on the border with Alsace. The Kaiserstuhl mountain range is one of Germany's warmest wine-growing regions and produces high-quality Burgundy wines. Forchheim benefits from this tradition — viticulture is the basis of village life. Its location between Freiburg, Colmar, and Basel makes the village a hub of a trinational region.

Club Landscape and Volunteer Work

Like all traditional village festivals in southern Germany, the Härdepfel-Dorffest relies on the volunteer commitment of the clubs. The Forchheimer Vereinsgemeinschaft is an example of successful volunteerism: eight clubs work together, share tasks (setup and dismantling, catering, security, cleaning), and jointly create a festival that attracts residents and guests anew each year. The proceeds go into the club treasuries and enable club activities throughout the year.