Kirchweih Holzkirchen (Gasthaus Krone)

Kirchweih at Gasthaus Krone — when the village celebrates at its inn

In the rural districts of Nördlinger Ries, the tradition of holding the annual Kirchweih at a specific inn has been maintained. In the Holzkirchen district of the municipality of Wechingen, this is the Gasthaus Krone — a traditional village inn that serves as the festival host and focal point of the Kirchweih celebrations for several days.

Wechingen and its districts — municipality in Geopark Ries

The municipality of Wechingen is located in the Donau-Ries district in Bavaria, in the heart of the Nördlinger Ries — the basin formed by a volcano-like asteroid impact, which is now a UNESCO Global Geopark Ries. Wechingen consists of three districts: Wechingen, Fessenheim, and Holzkirchen. Each district maintains its own Kirchweih tradition on different dates.

Holzkirchen — two Kirchweihen, two locations

It is noteworthy that Holzkirchen celebrates two Kirchweih events with different characteristics: The Kirchweih at Gasthaus Krone in mid-October (this festival) and the Kirchweih of SV Holzkirchen at the club house in early November. Both exist side by side, each with its own tradition and management — one at the traditional inn, the other at the sports club's clubhouse. This offers a special richness of festive opportunities in autumn for tourists and the village community.

Course of a Rieser Inn Kirchweih

The Kirchweih at Gasthaus Krone follows the typical Swabian-Bavarian Kirchweih choreography:

• Friday — Festival opening with beer tapping at the inn, dance evening in the evening
• Saturday — Club evening, social gathering, live music in the hall
• Sunday — Festive church service, Frühschoppen, lunch at the inn, program for the village community in the afternoon
• Monday — Closing evening ("Guggermontag") for the village community, traditional conclusion

Classic Rieser festival dishes are served at Gasthaus Krone: roast pork with dumplings, roast veal, roulades, butcher's platter. In the afternoon, coffee and homemade cakes — and in many families, the tradition of baking Kirchweihküchle (Franconian-Swabian doughnuts) continues.

Combining business and village tradition

What is special about inn Kirchweihen like in Holzkirchen is the close connection between gastronomy and village life. Gasthaus Krone is not just the festival host for a weekend — it is the meeting point for the entire village community, a wedding venue, a regular club meeting place, and a gathering spot for the Wechingen districts. The Kirchweih is the cultural peak season of this inn life.