Kirchweih Oberreichenbach

Late Summer Kerwa in the Aischgrund

The Kirchweih Oberreichenbach is part of the dense schedule of Kirchweihen that take place almost every weekend in the district of Erlangen-Höchstadt from May to October. In late summer, at the beginning of September, Oberreichenbach celebrates its own Kerwa – with the classic program of the Middle Franconian Kirchweih tradition.

Classic Kerwa Program

The Kerwabaum (maypole) is erected on the Saturday of the festival, followed by the ceremonial beer tapping by the mayor or the club chairman. On the festival evening, a brass band plays, and later in the evening, a dance band takes over. On Sunday, there's a morning pint with brass music, a festive meal at noon, a family program in the afternoon, and a Kerwa dance in the evening. On Kirchweih Monday, the traditional Kerwaboum dance takes place – that typically Franconian custom where the end of the festival is sealed with a ceremonial dance around the Kerwabaum.

Oberreichenbach in the Aischgrund

Oberreichenbach is a municipality with about 1,600 inhabitants in the district of Erlangen-Höchstadt in Middle Franconia (state of Bavaria). The municipality is located in the southwestern part of the district, transitioning from the Aischgrund to the Frankenhöhe. Oberreichenbach consists of several small districts and preserves the rural character of a Middle Franconian Aischgrund municipality. The Kirchweih has been the most important club festival of the year here for generations.

Franconian Kerwa Customs

The Franconian Kerwa differs from the large Bavarian folk festivals (Volksfeste) due to its family-friendly, village character. The young men and women of the village take on traditional roles, the clubs are responsible for catering and the program, and the village community meets to celebrate, dance, and socialize together. Franconian Lager beer from the many small breweries in the region is served.

The Kerwa Season in the ERH District

In the district of Erlangen-Höchstadt, over 50 Kirchweihen take place in villages and market towns between early May (starting with Hemhofen) and October (with the autumn Kirchweihen). Oberreichenbach falls into the later part of this season – a good opportunity to experience Franconian customs in one of the most densely connected Kirchweih regions in Germany.