Kirmes Theley

Four Days of Theley Summer

The Kirmes Theley is the annual village fair in the largest district of the municipality of Tholey (St. Wendel district). It traditionally takes place from Friday to Tuesday in the last third of June and brings the entire village together on the festival grounds for four days. The parish community, sports clubs, and the Theley Schellemann (the local carnival club) jointly organize the program.

Course of a Classic Saarland Fair

Opening on Friday evening with a beer tapping ceremony and the first bands on the festival grounds. Saturday and Sunday focus on the traditional program: festival mass in the parish church of St. Peter Theley, followed by a morning pint with brass music, carousels for the children in the afternoon, and live bands in the evening. Monday is the classic fair Monday with a parade, and the festival concludes on Tuesday with a fireworks display.

The St. Wendel Region and its Fair Culture

In the St. Wendel region — the northernmost district of Saarland — the village fair is as much a part of the annual rhythm as the harvest festival or carnival. Almost every district has its own fair, with weekends spread throughout the year: Theley in June, Hasborn in August, Tholey-Mitte in September, Sotzweiler in September. The Theley fair is considered one of the most well-attended — also because Theley, with almost 5,000 inhabitants, is the largest and most commercially active district of Tholey.

The Festival Grounds

The celebration takes place on the village's own festival grounds, a central area near the St. Peter parish church. Showmen set up carousels, shooting galleries, and candy stalls, alongside a festival tent with a stage for live music. Visitors to Theley's show mine or the Tholey Abbey can quickly reach the festival site on foot.