Hessisches Schäferfest Hungen

Hungen – the Shepherd City

Hungen, with about 13,000 inhabitants in the Gießen district, proudly bears the nickname "Shepherd City". The region between Wetterau and Vogelsberg has been a sheep herding area for centuries, and Hungen was historically a central meeting point for shepherds in Hesse. The town has been celebrating this identity since 1922 with the Hessisches Schäferfest – one of the most traditional events of Hesse's shepherding culture. The 2022 edition celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Biennial in Even Years

Unlike most local festivals, the Schäferfest only takes place every two years – in even years, always on the last weekend of August. 2026 is therefore a big sheep year, with the next one not until 2028. This rarity is part of its character – families plan their travel well in advance, and shepherd associations from all over Hesse come with their dogs and flocks.

State Sheep Herding Competition – The Shepherds' Contest

The sporting highlight is the Landesleistungshüten (State Sheep Herding Competition): professional and amateur shepherds from Hesse compete with their herding dogs – mostly Old German Herding Dogs and Border Collies – in a seven-station course with unfamiliar sheep. It's about the art of herding: precise flock management, reaction to whistles and commands, and clean maneuvering through narrow passages. This is not a show sport, but a professional discipline that is seriously judged.

Shepherd's Run for Young Shepherds

A special Hungen tradition is the Shepherd's Run on Sunday morning – a hurdle race for young male and female shepherds. The winners are then solemnly crowned Shepherd King and Shepherd Queen. This coronation follows an old ritual that dates back to the first Upper Hesse Shepherd Day on February 8, 1922, at the Darmstädter Hof in Hungen – which was then the founding meeting of the regional shepherd association.

Festive Parade, Shepherd's Market, Schlager Night

Sunday is dominated by the grand festive parade through Hungen with shepherd groups, traditional costume groups, floats, and brass bands. Simultaneously, on Saturday and Sunday, the Schäfermarkt (Shepherd's Market) takes place between the market hall and the cultural center, offering regional products – sheep cheese, wool, hides, honey, wild herbs. On Saturday evening, the Hungener Schlagernacht fills the festival tent with German-language Schlager music. Previous editions featured artists like Daniela Alfinito, Bernhard Brink, and G.G. Anderson.

Four-Day Program with a "Frühschoppen" Finale

The festival runs for four days. Friday evening features a Rock-'n'-Pop Party in the festival tent to kick things off. Saturday includes demonstration herding, the Shepherd's Market, and the Schlager Night in the evening. Sunday features the Shepherd's Run, the Royal Coronation, the festive parade, and a festival tent evening. Monday is dedicated to the "Frühschoppen" (morning pint), which often lasts until late in the evening.