Name: Kirchweih Höttingen 2026
Start: 2026-10-09T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-10-12T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Festplatz und Wirtshäuser im Ortskern

Kärwa Höttingen

About Kärwa Höttingen

The Höttinger Kärwa is one of the traditional Middle Franconian Kirchweihen in the district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen — for four days at the beginning of October, the village center transforms into a Franconian festival island. Beer tent, Kärwabaum (Maypole), shooting gallery, and children's carousel, plus roast pork, Schäuferla (pork shoulder), and its own Höttingen festival beer. Organized by the local heritage association and the Höttingen volunteer fire department, the Kärwa is the most important social event of the year for the village of 1,100 inhabitants.

Dates 09 Oct — 12 Oct 2026

Venue Höttingen (09577)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Kärwa Höttingen — edition 2026

The Höttinger Kärwa 2026 will take place from Friday, October 9th, to Monday, October 12th. Four days of Middle Franconian Kirchweih with beer tapping, raising of the Kärwabaum, festival service, and family program. The dates are confirmed in the 2026 Kärwa overview of the Nordbayerische Nachrichten. Free admission.

Höttinger Kärwa 2026

In 2026, the Höttinger Kärwa will again stick to its fixed date on the second weekend of October. The dates are listed in the 2026 Kirchweih overview for the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district (Nordbayerische Nachrichten) and in the official event calendar of the municipality of Höttingen.

What awaits visitors

Beer tapping on Friday evening in the festival tent
Raising of the Kärwabaum on Saturday afternoon by the Kärwabuam
Festival service on Sunday, followed by the Betzentanz around the pole
Morning pint and family program on Monday
Shooting gallery, swing boat, and children's carousel on the festival grounds
Appearance of the traditional Höttingen Kirchweihbär

Highlights Kärwa Höttingen 2026

Beer tapping in the festival tent on Friday
Raising of the Kärwabaum on Saturday
Betzentanz and festival service on Sunday
Traditional Höttinger Kirchweihbär

Programme Kärwa Höttingen 2026

Planned Schedule 2026

Friday, October 9th

Evening — Beer tapping in the festival tent by the mayor
Subsequently — Dancing with live music

Saturday, October 10th

Afternoon — Raising of the Kärwabaum with the Kärwabuam
Evening — Festival in the tent with band program

Sunday, October 11th

Morning — Festival service
Afternoon — Betzentanz around the Kärwabaum, family activities, appearance of the Kirchweihbär
Evening — Dancing in the festival tent

Monday, October 12th

Morning pint and winding down of the Kärwa

Detailed hourly schedules will be published in advance on hoettingen.de and on the channels of the Höttingen Volunteer Fire Department.

Prices Kärwa Höttingen 2026

Free admission to the festival grounds and tent. Food (Franconian dishes, festival beer) available on site.

Practical information

Practical information — Kärwa Höttingen

Getting There

By car via the B2 (Nuremberg-Augsburg), exit Höttingen or Pleinfeld. By train to Pleinfeld, then a short bus or taxi connection.

Admission

Free admission to the festival grounds and the beer tent. Food, drinks, and rides are paid for individually.

Families

Classic village Kärwa, child-friendly. Middle Franconian dishes such as Schweinsbraten, Schäuferla, Bratwürste (sausages), and sweet Schmalznudeln (doughnuts) are available on site.

Middle Franconian Kärwa Tradition

Höttingen is located in southern Middle Franconia, in the district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen (Bavaria), between the Altmühltal and the Franconian Lake District. With around 1,100 inhabitants (main town and districts combined), it is a classic Franconian rural community. The annual Kirchweih is one of the oldest customs in the village — the exact beginnings are shrouded in mystery, but it is certain that the Kärwa has been celebrated for generations on the second weekend in October.

What makes the Höttinger Kärwa special

The Franconian Kirchweih follows a set schedule: Beer tapping in the festival tent on Thursday or Friday, the ceremonial raising of the Kärwabaum by the Kärwabuam (young men responsible for the pole) on Saturday, the festival service and the Betzentanz (a dance where a wooden figure serves as a prize) on Sunday. Throughout the days: shooting gallery, candy stalls, swing boat, and children's carousel.

Höttingen Specialty: the Kirchweihbär

A local tradition is the 'Kirchweihbär' (Kirchweih bear) — a costumed figure that parades through the village, reminding people of the Kirchweih custom. Höttingen is one of the few Middle Franconian villages that keeps this figure alive today. Local newspapers such as StaZ and Nordbayerische Nachrichten regularly report on it.

Location and Arrival

Höttingen is located directly on the B2 federal highway between Weißenburg and Nuremberg. The Pleinfeld train station (3 km away) is on the Nuremberg-Munich line. Visitors from further afield often combine their Kärwa visit with an excursion to the Franconian Lake District (Brombachsee, Altmühlsee).