Kerwe Steinwenden

The Kerwe Steinwenden is the traditional Kirchweih (church fair) of the Palatinate municipality of Steinwenden in the Ramstein-Miesenbach collective municipality in the Kaiserslautern district. From October 9th to 13th, 2026, the five-day Kerwe will be celebrated – a central date in the event calendar of the Westrich community.

Kerwe in the Park

A special feature is its location: the Steinwender Kerwe traditionally takes place in the park – a green park area in the town center. This setting with trees, meadows, and old trees gives the Kerwe its distinctive character and distinguishes it from most other village Kerwen, which are held on paved festival grounds.

Five-Day Festival Rhythm

The Kerwe spans five days from Friday to Tuesday. This unusual length gives all program elements space: dance evenings with live bands, a football tournament by local sports clubs, morning pint (Frühschoppen), lunch, Kerwe parade on Sunday afternoon, family day, and Kerwe burial.

Music, Football, and Traditional Atmosphere

The three programmatic pillars of the Steinwender Kerwe are music, football, and traditional festival tent atmosphere. Palatinate bands and cover bands perform on stage, the football tournament brings sport and competition into the program, and the festival tent in the park offers Palatinate cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere.

Kerweborsch and Traditions

As in every Palatinate village, the Kerweborsch (Kerwe lads), Kerweparrer (Kerwe pastor), and Kerwestrauß (Kerwe bouquet) shape the festival events. The humorous and satirical Kerwerede (Kerwe speech) on Sunday afternoon is the highlight of the Kerwe.

Club Life and Catering

The local clubs – sports club, fire department, music club, and others – provide the festival tent, bar, and catering. The menu features Palatinate classics: Saumagen (stuffed pig's stomach), Bratwurst (fried sausage), Leberknödel (liver dumplings), Schwenkbraten (grilled pork neck), and fries. Draft beer and Palatinate wine accompany the festival weekend.