Ingolstädter Pfingstvolksfest (Schanzer Pfingstvolksfest)

Schanzer Volksfest – a Pentecost Classic

The Ingolstädter Pfingstvolksfest, affectionately called Schanzer Pfingstvolksfest in Ingolstadt, is one of the most traditional Volksfests in Upper Bavaria. It has been celebrated on the Festplatz an der Dreizehnerstraße (festival grounds) since the late 1940s and is – together with the Herbstvolksfest – a firm fixture in the Schanzer festival calendar. In 2026, the festival will mark its 78th edition.

Two Beer Tents, Two Breweries

The two large festival tents of the local breweries Herrnbräu and Nordbräu are characteristic of the Pfingstvolksfest. Both hosts compete in friendly rivalry for visitors and atmosphere – with their own music bands, their own beer (freshly tapped on the opening day at 6 p.m.), and a daily program ranging from morning pint sessions to family afternoons and Schlager evenings. Table reservations are handled directly by the festival hosts.

Rides, Market Street, and Fireworks

Around 70 showmen set up their rides, food stalls, and shooting galleries between the tents. A Ferris wheel, roller coaster, bumper cars, free fall tower, and classic carousels are featured. The market street with sweets, gingerbread hearts, spice, and household goods stalls is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Two fireworks displays – traditionally on the first and the final Friday – provide the visual highlights.

Family and Senior Offers

As with a classic Bavarian Volksfest, there are special days: Family Afternoon on Wednesdays with half-price rides, Senior Afternoon on Tuesdays with discounted food in the tents. This tradition makes the festival a Volksfest in the truest sense – not just a beer event, but a cross-generational city gathering.

Ingolstadt: Schanzer History and Economic Power

Ingolstadt, with around 140,000 inhabitants, is the fifth-largest city in Bavaria and home to Audi and the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. The historical name "Schanze" – derived from the baroque fortifications – has been preserved in the festival name. With two Volksfests per year (Pentecost and Autumn), Ingolstadt is among the Bavarian cities with a double Volksfest calendar, similar to Augsburg, Regensburg, or Erlangen.