Heroldsberger Kirchweih (Kärwa)

Middle Franconian Kärwa on the Gründlach

The Heroldsberger Kirchweih – in Franconian dialect simply Kärwa – is one of the most traditional village Kirchweih festivals in the region. Heroldsberg is located on the Gründlach river in the Erlangen-Höchstadt district, north of Nuremberg, and belongs to the greater Nuremberg metropolitan region. With around 8,500 inhabitants, the market town has a rural-suburban character – the Kärwa brings the entire village together annually.

Four Days of Festival Tradition

The Kärwa classically follows the four-day schedule of Franconian Kirchweihen: Friday opening, Saturday tree fetching and dance evening, Sunday festival service and main festival day, Monday winding down. The organizing association is the Kerwaboum Heroldsberg, the local association of young men and women, supplemented by clubs, the fire department, and the parish community.

Friday – Opening with Free Beer

The program starts on Friday at 7:00 PM on Rathausplatz with free beer from the Aufsesser brewery (a traditional Upper Franconian brewery from nearby Aufseß). Around 7:30 PM, the Kirchweih parade moves from Rathausplatz to the festival tent on the festival grounds – with the Kerwaboum, the Heroldsberg brass band, and local clubs.

Saturday – Tree Fetching with Brass Band

The highlight of Saturday is the tree fetching at 5:00 PM: the Kerwaboum fetch the Kärwabaum from the forest, transport it through the village, and erect it on the festival grounds. The procedure is accompanied by the Heroldsberger Blaskapelle. Erecting the tree is a communal feat of strength: using forks and poles, the up to 30-meter-high trunk is raised in several stages – an archaic custom that is still practiced in the 21st century.

Sunday – Festival Service and Main Festival Day

Sunday 10:30 AM ecumenical festival service in the St. Matthäus parish church, followed by a morning pint with brass music on the festival grounds. From 1 PM, the family afternoon begins with rides (carousel, shooting gallery, Ferris wheel), Upper Franconian delicacies (Schäuferla, Bratwürste, Saure Zipfel), and a cake buffet. On Sunday evening, a dance evening in the festival tent with a live band.

Schäffler and Franconian Customs

A Heroldsberg specialty: in some years, the Schäffler (coopers) dance to kick off the Kärwa – the traditional dance of the barrel makers, which originally arose after the plague epidemic of 1517 and is mainly preserved in Bavaria and Franconia. The Schäffler tradition makes the Heroldsberger Kärwa one of the most vibrant cultural events in the region.

Street Festival 2026 Cancelled – But Not the Kärwa

Important note: The actual Strassenfest Heroldsberg (in recent years on Rathausplatz) is cancelled for 2026 due to municipal budget constraints and has been replaced by a "Festival of Clubs" in July. The Kärwa in September remains unaffected and will take place as usual.