Kirchweih St. Willibald Deining

A Patron Saint Festival with its Own Profile

The Kirchweih St. Willibald in Deining is more than just a village Kirwa: it is a lovingly staged festival celebrating the patron saint of the Oberpfalz – Saint Willibald of Eichstätt – and is considered one of the highlights in the calendar of events for the municipality of Deining. For four days, Schloßstraße in the main town becomes the festival mile, organized by the Kirwaverein Deining with chairman Moritz Steigert.

Traditions Found Only Here

Three customs characterize the Deininger Kirwa:

• Kirwabaum aufstellen (Raising the Kirwa Tree) on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. – a decorated festival tree that symbolizes the celebration
• Baumaustanzen (Dancing around the Tree) on Sunday at 5 p.m. – the traditional partner dance ritual around the Kirwabaum
• Kirwabär (Kirwa Bear) – a unique tradition practiced only in Deining, featuring a festival participant dressed as a bear who walks through the festival tent

The event concludes on Monday with the Kirwabaum raffle at the Hahnenwirt, where the tree erected for the Kirwa is raffled among the festival guests.

Program Between Festival Tent and Politics

The opening evening on Friday features live music in the festival tent. Saturday begins with the tree raising, followed by the humorous and sporty "Game without Borders" in the afternoon; the band Drum Schlooch performs in the evening. Sunday starts with a festive church service in St. Willibald, followed by a political Frühschoppen (morning pint) and coffee and cake in the afternoon, before the Baumaustanzen forms the emotional centerpiece.

Other Kirchweihen in the Districts

Deining is a municipality with numerous districts, and they also maintain their own Kirchweihen. In 2026, prior to the Willibaldskirwa, the following will take place, among others:

• Kirchweih Herz-Jesu Sternberg – June 5, 2026
• Kirchweih St. Vitus Großalfalterbach – June 14, 2026
• Kirchweih St. Johannes der Täufer Pirkach – June 21, 2026

The Willibaldskirwa in the main town of Deining then forms the climax of the Kirchweih-rich early summer season.

Deining in the Neumarkt Region

Deining is located in the district of Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz (Bavaria), at the transition between the Jura and Altmühltal valleys, south of Neumarkt. The municipality, with around 3,000 inhabitants, is part of a region whose identity is strongly shaped by the Kirchweih tradition – Deining is one of its most distinctive representatives.