Hofer Volksfest

The Largest Volksfest Far and Wide

When the beer tents go up in front of the Freiheitshalle at the end of July, Hof's most important festival week begins. The Hofer Volksfest is "one of the largest of its kind far and wide" and has been the social meeting point for the entire region between Upper Franconia, Thuringia, the Vogtland, and the Czech Republic for decades. Unofficial motto: "Do triffst fei alla!" – in High German: "Here you'll really meet everyone!". The organizer is the City of Hof via its Office for Public Safety and Order.

Festival Grounds Between Nailaer Straße and Ernst-Reuter-Straße

The venue is the large festival area between Nailaer Straße and Ernst-Reuter-Straße, which adjoins the famous Freiheitshalle. The grounds feature the large festival tent with space for several thousand guests, as well as a classic amusement park with a roller coaster, freefall tower, Ferris wheel, swing carousel, dodgems, log flume, haunted house, and countless food stalls.

Parade and Beer Tapping

The Volksfest opens on the first Friday with the grand parade. From 5 p.m. onwards, around 3,000 to 4,000 participants from dozens of music bands, traditional costume groups, and guilds march from the town hall through the city center to the festival grounds. A special feature in recent years has been the participation of traditional musicians from Hof bei Salzburg in Austria. Afterwards, the traditional beer tapping by the Lord Mayor – currently Mayor Eva Döhla – takes place in the festival tent, with the Meinel-Bräu brewery supplying the festival tent beer.

Music in the Festival Tent

Every evening, a different band performs in the festival tent – the mix includes classics of Upper Franconian folk music such as Krebsbacker Blasmusik and Radspitz, Franconian party bands like Echt Stark and the Partyteufel, as well as the Stadtkapelle Teuschnitz and cover bands. The atmosphere is family-friendly during the day and festive in the evenings.

Hof in Upper Franconia

Hof is located in the extreme northeast of Bavaria, in the Hof district, directly on the border with Thuringia and Saxony. The city is considered the gateway to the Vogtland and is home to the Hof University of Applied Sciences, the internationally renowned Hof International Film Festival, and the Hof Symphony Orchestra. For decades, the Volksfest has been the city's major social event.