Name: Kirchweih Rittersbach 2026
Start: 2026-07-10T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-07-13T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Sportplatz Rittersbach

Kärwa Rittersbach

About Kärwa Rittersbach

The Kirchweih Rittersbach is one of the four Kirchweihen (church festivals) of the Middle Franconian municipality of Georgensgmünd in the Roth district. The village festival of the Rittersbach district is celebrated on the second weekend of July at the Rittersbach sports ground – with a festival tent, Kärwabuam and Kärwamadli (young men and women responsible for the festival), traditional maypole raising, a parade, and dancing. An authentic Franconian Kärwa, driven by the village youth.

Dates 10 Jul — 13 Jul 2026

Venue Georgensgmünd (09576)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Kärwa Rittersbach — edition 2026

The Kirchweih Rittersbach 2026 takes place from Friday, July 10, to Monday, July 13, at the Rittersbach sports ground. Organized by the Kärwabuam and Kärwamadli of the district, the four-day village Kärwa offers a festival tent, Kärwabaum erection, Franconian catering, music, and dancing. Free admission.

From Friday, July 10, to Monday, July 13, 2026, the Kärwabuam and Kärwamadli of the Rittersbach district will celebrate their Kirchweih at the Rittersbach sports ground. The four-part festival weekend follows the established Franconian Kärwa tradition: festival tent opening on Friday evening, Kärwabaum erection on Saturday, festival Sunday with Frühschoppen and festival evening, and Kehraus (farewell party) on Monday.

The Kärwa is traditionally organized by the village youth, who take on the organizational and catering responsibilities. Franconian specialties, regional beer, music, and dances characterize the weekend. The Kirchweih Rittersbach is one of the four Kirchweihen of the municipality of Georgensgmünd and part of the dense Middle Franconian Kirchweih calendar.

Highlights Kärwa Rittersbach 2026

One of four Kirchweihen in Georgensgmünd 2026
Kärwabaum erection by the Kärwabuam
Festival tent at the Rittersbach sports ground
Four festival days, Friday to Monday
Free admission

Programme Kärwa Rittersbach 2026

2026 Schedule

Friday, July 10, 2026: Festival tent opening, festival evening with music
Saturday, July 11, 2026: Kärwabaum erection by the Kärwabuam, festival evening
Sunday, July 12, 2026: Frühschoppen, festival parade, festival evening with dancing
Monday, July 13, 2026: Kehraus, festival finale

Specific program details will be published by the municipality of Georgensgmünd shortly before the festival.

Prices Kärwa Rittersbach 2026

Free admission. Festival tent catering by the Kärwabuam and Kärwamadli at usual club prices.

Practical information

Practical information — Kärwa Rittersbach

Getting There

Georgensgmünd is located on the A9 (Munich–Berlin, Roth exit) and on the Nuremberg–Treuchtlingen railway line with its own station. Rittersbach can be reached from the main town of Georgensgmünd via the district road. Approximately 35 minutes by car from Nuremberg.

Admission

Admission to the Kärwa is free. Food and drinks are served in the festival tent by the Kärwabuam and Kärwamadli at usual club prices.

Tip

For the full traditional experience, come for the Kärwabaum erection (usually Saturday afternoon). Festival Sunday with Frühschoppen and dancing is the highlight of the Kärwa.

A Kärwa in the Annual Cycle

The municipality of Georgensgmünd in southern Middle Franconia cultivates an exceptional Kärwa tradition: four different Kirchweihen are celebrated throughout the year – the main Kirchweih in Georgensgmünd itself, as well as the district Kirchweihen in Petersgmünd, Mäbenberg, and Rittersbach. The Kirchweih Rittersbach is the district Kirchweih of Rittersbach, a small district in the south of the municipality.

Format and Customs

The festival is traditionally celebrated on the second weekend of July at the Rittersbach sports ground. The Kärwa is organized by the village youth, the "Kärwabuam and Kärwamadli," a custom widespread in Franconia. These young men and women between 16 and 25 organize the festival, erect the Kärwabaum (festival tree), perform dances, and shape the image of the Kärwa with their traditional costumes and performances. A festival tent, Franconian catering, music bands, and dancing are part of the fixed program.

Kärwabaum and Festival Parade

The highlight of every Kärwa is the erection of the Kärwabaum – a tree trunk decorated with colorful ribbons, often weighing several tons, which is raised by the young men using poles. It is an act of strength with high symbolic value. Throughout the weekend, there are parades, morning pint gatherings (Frühschoppen), dance evenings, and communal meals. Tradition and conviviality merge into an authentic Franconian village experience.

Key Facts

One of four Kirchweihen in Georgensgmünd
Second weekend of July, Friday to Monday
Rittersbach sports ground as festival venue
Kärwabaum erection by the Kärwabuam
Festival tent, Franconian catering, dancing
Free admission

Georgensgmünd, a market town with around 7,000 inhabitants in the southern Roth district, is located in the Franconian Lake District in Middle Franconia (Bavaria). The maintenance of several Kirchweihen per municipality is characteristic of Franconian customs: each district preserves its own festival tradition, which structures village life throughout the year.