Kirchweih Haldenwang (Allgäu)

Kirchweih as a Community Constant

The Kirchweih Haldenwang – often called "Kirchweih in Haldenwang" or "Kirchweihsonntag" (Kirchweih Sunday) in the region – is firmly established in the official event calendar of the municipality of Haldenwang as a recurring date on the third Sunday in October. Unlike the large Upper Bavarian folk festivals or the Franconian Kärwas, the Allgäu Kirchweih is not a folk festival with a marquee and large amusement rides, but a mix of church festival, inn day, and community meeting point.

Haldenwang in the Oberallgäu

Haldenwang is located north of Kempten in the Oberallgäu district and is a typical Allgäu municipality – rural, with a distinctly Catholic-Bavarian character, a prominent parish church, and community life strongly supported by traditional clubs: music band, traditional costume society, shooting club, fire brigade. The administrative community of Haldenwang also includes the neighboring municipalities of Wildpoldsried, Lauben, and Börwang.

The Kirchweih Sunday

Sunday is traditionally the day for the Kirchweih in the Allgäu: a festive church service with a parish mass in the morning, often accompanied musically by the local music band; followed by a morning pint (Frühschoppen) in the inns and the village community center. In the afternoon, club stalls open, sometimes farmers and direct marketers exhibit their products, and in the inn, the classic "Kirchweih-Schmaus" (Kirchweih feast) with roast, cabbage, and cake is served.

A Deliberately Small Format

Visitors to the Allgäu Kirchweih should not expect a "folk festival." The strength of the festival lies in the opposite: in the authenticity of a small village that comes together once in autumn, without tourist spectacle, with real traditional costumes, and at a pace that suits a region whose identity is still strongly shaped by agriculture. Those seeking Allgäu local culture in its everyday form will find it here.

Dates in the Event Calendar

The municipality of Haldenwang manages the event calendar itself and includes the Kirchweih each year. In 2026, the date is officially set for October 18 (Sunday). Program details such as the time of the festive church service, the host inn, and club stalls will be communicated in the preceding weeks via the municipal gazette and haldenwang.de.