Kirmes in Scheuern

A Village Fair with Hammeltanz

The Kirmes in Scheuern is one of the classic village fairs traditionally held in the St. Wendel region at the beginning of July. Organized by the Scheuern village community in the municipality of Tholey, it combines a religious element (patron saint's festival, high mass) with pronounced secular conviviality (Hammeltanz, catering by associations, live bands).

The Hammeltanz – Saarland Tradition

The Hammeltanz is one of the central rituals of the Saarland village fair. Young couples dance in a circle around a decorated pole or the main prize, stylized as a "Hammel" (wether). Whoever holds the Hammel when the music stops is the Kirmes winner and is ceremonially celebrated as the winner of the season in the subsequent ceremony. It is a tradition with a wink that is still alive in villages like Scheuern.

Associations as Organizers

The Kirmes in Scheuern thrives on the commitment of local associations: sports club, music club, fire department, parish, women's association. They are responsible for catering, program design, and setup/dismantling. Proceeds remain within the village community and finance club activities or smaller investments.

Program Tradition

Typically, the Kirmes is spread over four days – Friday to Monday. Opening on Friday evening with the tapping of the first keg, live music on the weekend, a Kirmes search and a Kirmes speech with current news from the village in humorous form, on Sunday the high mass and the Kirmes Sunday morning pint, the traditional Hammeltanz usually on Sunday or Monday.

Tholey and the St. Wendel Region

Tholey, with around 12,500 inhabitants, is one of the larger municipalities in the St. Wendel region, known beyond its borders for the Benedictine Abbey and its stained glass windows by Gerhard Richter and Mahbuba Maqsoodi. The surrounding area consists of characteristic small villages like Scheuern – the Kirmes is their annual anchor. Those who want to experience the authentic Saarland away from the city center of Saarbrücken will find an unvarnished, warm-hearted version here.