Heimat- und Wiesenfest Schwarzenbach am Wald

Heimat- und Wiesenfest – Frankenwald Celebrates

The Heimat- und Wiesenfest in Schwarzenbach am Wald is one of the most famous and oldest Wiesenfeste (meadow festivals) in the Frankenwald. For generations, the festival has combined customs, club life, and festival culture – with a precisely timed three-day program and a festival ground that is the highlight of the summer for many Schwarzenbach residents. The organizer is the town of Schwarzenbach a.Wald, and the festival grounds are located on Schützenstraße in the town center.

Schwarzenbach a.Wald in the Hof District

Schwarzenbach a.Wald (around 4,500 inhabitants) is a small town in the Hof district (Upper Franconia, Bavaria), situated in the heart of the Frankenwald Nature Park. Unlike the larger Schwarzenbach an der Saale further east – with which the town is sometimes confused – Schwarzenbach a.Wald is a small Frankenwald town located between Bayreuth, Hof, and Kronach. The Wiesenfest has been THE summer event here for decades.

Three Days of Program in the Festival Tent

The typical schedule of a Schwarzenbach Wiesenfest has been established over the years:

• Friday: Festival start with an opening dance evening in the festival tent, opening of the amusement rides.
• Saturday: Beer tapping ceremony in the late afternoon by the mayor together with the festival brewery (in the past, including Meinel-Bräu from Hof), followed by a parade of schoolchildren and clubs through the town. Family afternoon with reduced prices and coffee & cake, prepared by the town council. In the evening, a big festival tent party with regional bands.
• Sunday: Festival day with a church service, morning pint with a brass band, lunch, a schoolchildren and children's parade in the afternoon, festival tent music in the evening, and (weather permitting) a fireworks display around 10:30 PM.

Bands and Tradition

The festival tent typically features regional bands like PINACOLADA (with Heiner Wolf from Eisenbühl) and brass bands from the Frankenwald. The Wiesenfest in Schwarzenbach consciously cultivates a mix of tradition (parade of schoolchildren, brass music) and entertaining dance and show music in the tent.

Family Afternoon with Coffee and Cake

A special feature of the Schwarzenbach Wiesenfest is the Family Afternoon on Saturday: Town council members and volunteers serve coffee and cake, and the amusement rides offer reduced prices. The festival is intentionally designed to be open to families with small budgets and older guests.