Kirchplatzfest Gladitz

A Village Festival with a Family Touch

In southern Saxony-Anhalt, in the Burgenlandkreis between Zeitz and Naumburg, lies the municipality of Kretzschau — a small administrative unit comprising several districts along the White Elster and Saale rivers. One of these districts is Gladitz, a tiny village with a church and a festival meadow on the church square. This very square is the venue for the Kirchplatzfest, held every September.

Organized by Volunteers, Experienced with Heart

The event is organized by the local village association, which puts the entire festival together on a voluntary basis. Over two days, a small festival meadow is created with a stage, a beer tent, market stalls, a children's area, and food stands. The program is typically village-style: opening on Saturday afternoon, a family concert in the evening, dancing late into the night, a "Frühschoppen" (morning pint) on Sunday, and a family afternoon. The atmosphere is intimate — anyone who shows up feels like part of the community for those two days.

A Piece of Burgenlandkreis Culture

The Burgenlandkreis thrives on this form of local festival culture. While larger towns like Naumburg and Zeitz maintain their own town festivals, it's the village festivals in the small districts that hold the social fabric of the region together. The Kirchplatzfest in Gladitz is one of dozens of similar festivals held annually in the municipality of Kretzschau and its districts. Those who want to experience Saxony-Anhalt beyond the usual tourist paths will find authentic moments of encounter here.