Kiliansfest Schwaigern

Wine festival in a historic setting

The Kiliansfest Schwaigern is one of the traditional wine festivals in the Heilbronn district. It takes place annually in mid-July in the historic town centre — Schwaigern's old town is one of the best-preserved in Württemberg, with half-timbered houses, the late Gothic town church of St. Kilian, the castle of the Counts of Neipperg, the Old Tax Office, and the town hall.

Castle, Old Tax Office, and Town Hall as Festival Backdrop

The festival is spread across several historic squares and alleys between the Neipperg castle, the Old Tax Office, and the town hall. The Heuchelberg Weingärtner eG vintners set up stalls, the Schwaigern gastronomy operates outdoor catering, and live music plays on a small stage in the area of the town church. A lighting concept illuminates the historic buildings.

Heuchelberg Weingärtner: Tradition with Character

The Heuchelberg Weingärtner eG is the cooperative of around 350 winegrowers from Schwaigern, Brackenheim, Cleebronn, and Güglingen — one of the largest winegrower cooperatives in Württemberg. Their wines — Trollinger, Lemberger, Riesling, Schwarzriesling, Spätburgunder, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner — are served on the festival weekend. Wines from smaller private vintners from Schwaigern are also available.

Schwaigern Gastronomy as Partner

Unlike purely commercial wine festivals, the Kiliansfest is closely linked to the local gastronomy: restaurants and inns from Schwaigern open their outdoor areas, operate additional catering at fixed locations, and combine wine with local cuisine — Swabian Maultaschen, Rostbraten, Käsespätzle, Flammkuchen, Saumagen, vegetarian options.

St. Kilian's Day as the Occasion

The festival name is derived from St. Kilian's Day (July 8th), the commemoration day of Saint Kilian, the patron saint of the Schwaigern town church. The festival traditionally falls on the weekend around St. Kilian's Day — in 2026 from Wednesday, July 15th to Friday, July 17th (date confirmed by the town of Schwaigern). The exact festival opening hours will be published about a month in advance.

Schwaigern am Heuchelberg

Schwaigern is located in the Heilbronn district in Baden-Württemberg, at the foot of the Heuchelberg between Heilbronn and Brackenheim. With around 11,000 inhabitants, the town is a central hub in the Heuchelberg wine-growing region. It can be reached via the A 81 (Heilbronn–Stuttgart) and the B 293, and by train via the Zabergäubahn.