Kemnather Wiesenfest

Kemnath's 'Sixth Season'

Since 1950, the Kemnather Wiesenfest has been the largest folk festival (Volksfest) event in the Upper Palatinate district of Tirschenreuth in the state of Bavaria. The people of Kemnath themselves like to call their Wiesenfest the 'sixth season' – it is so deeply embedded in the annual rhythm of the town, which has just under 5,500 inhabitants. In 2026, the Wiesenfest will celebrate its 74th edition, presumably from August 13 to 18 (Thursday to Tuesday, six days). The fairground is located on Röntgenstraße on the eastern outskirts of the town.

Opening with Beer Tapping and Saluting Gunners

The traditional parade from the town center to the fairground marks the start on Thursday afternoon. The beer carriage, pulled by brewery horses from the Kemnath Monastery Brewery, transports the festival beer to the tents. Saluting gunners fire volleys, and the Kemnath City Band plays a concert. The First Mayor performs the beer tapping ceremony of the first keg – 'O'zapft is!' echoes through the festival tent.

Six Days of Festival Tent Program

The following days are packed: During the day, the fairground buzzes with about two dozen rides and showmen – carousel, Ferris wheel, swing boat, bumper cars, haunted house. In the evenings, bands and show acts perform in the festival tent: Classic party bands like the Steindorfer Buam, Schlager evenings with Mallorca party acts like Julian Benz, and traditional brass music from Upper Palatinate bands. The festival beer is exclusively served by the Kemnath Monastery Brewery – a tradition maintained for generations.

Family Day and Finale Fireworks

Family Day, with reduced ride prices, is a fixed program item, as is the Senior Afternoon with coffee and cake, and the Day of the Associations. The highlight on the last day of the festival is the grand finale fireworks display on Tuesday evening – a pyrotechnic spectacle over the Röntgenstraße fairground, marking the end of the 'Kemnather Wiesn'. Hundreds of families from the Tirschenreuth district, the neighboring Bayreuth district, and the Upper Palatinate gather for the fireworks on and around the fairground.

Wiesenfest and Region

Kemnath is located in the Stiftland region on the border with the Czech Republic and belongs to the Upper Palatinate, one of Germany's most traditional beer regions. The Kemnath Monastery Brewery, founded in 1542 in the former Franciscan monastery, is one of the town's oldest businesses and serves the Wiesenfest festival beer. The Wiesenfest is known beyond the Stiftland – it attracts thousands of visitors annually from Bayreuth, Tirschenreuth, Weiden, and the surrounding Upper Palatinate area.