Kerwe Mehlingen

The Kerwe Mehlingen is one of the classic summer Kerwen in the West Palatinate. Mehlingen is located on the B 48 federal road between Kaiserslautern and Winnweiler and administratively belongs to the Enkenbach-Alsenborn association. The town is famous above all for the Dampfnudelhof Mehlingen, which holds a firm place in the region for its traditional Palatinate Dampfnudeln (steamed dumplings). This culinary tradition also shapes the Kerwe itself: Dampfnudeln are among the classics on the festival tent's menu.

Kerwe Tradition

The Kerwe dates back to the old Kirchweih tradition and is celebrated today in a festival tent in the town center. As with many Palatinate Kerwen, the local clubs (fire department, sports club, music club) bear the main burden of organization. Catering, setup and dismantling, music, and entertainment are handled by volunteers, and the proceeds go to the club's activities.

Program Structure

The program is spread over one festival day — Sunday — which forms the focus of the Kerwe. During the day, there's a Frühschoppen (morning pint) and lunch with Palatinate specialties, in the afternoon coffee and cake, and in the evening live music or a DJ program. Classic Palatinate dishes such as Schwenker (grilled meat skewers), Saumagen (pork stomach), Leberknödel (liver dumplings), Bratwurst (fried sausage), and especially the famous Dampfnudeln (Mehlingen specialty) characterize the menu.

Getting There

Mehlingen is accessible by car via the B 48 or the A 6 (Sembach exit). Enkenbach-Alsenborn is connected by train on the Kaiserslautern–Bad Münster am Stein–Mainz line. From Enkenbach-Alsenborn station, a bus continues to Mehlingen.