Kirwa Dürnsricht

Upper Palatinate Kirwa between Naab Valley and Bavarian Forest

The Kirwa Dürnsricht is among the most beautiful village church festivals in the central Upper Palatinate and is deeply rooted in the municipality of Fensterbach (Schwandorf district). For three days, it transforms the sports grounds of DJK Dürnsricht-Wolfring into a festival site with all the ingredients of a classic Upper Palatinate Kirchweih: festival service, entry of the Kirwa couples, parade, tree-dancing, Saure Zipfl, Kirwabär, and three evenings of dance music. In 2026, the Kirwa will take place from July 5th to 7th, as confirmed by Onetz (Oberpfalz daily newspaper) and the DJK event page.

24 Kirwa Couples and the Custom of Tree-Dancing

A hallmark of the Kirwa Dürnsricht is the 24 Kirwa couples, who carry the festival in traditional Upper Palatinate costume. The leaders in 2026 are Emilia Langer and Dominik Saffert, who will kick off the festivities on Saturday afternoon at 5 PM in the parade with the sports club and youth brass band. The 'Baum-Austanzen' (tree-dancing) on Sunday afternoon — the winner of the couple's dance wins the Kirwa tree — is one of the most emotional moments and has been an unchanged custom for generations. The 'Kirwabär', a young man dressed in straw who roams the village collecting tribute, remains another classic component of the Upper Palatinate Kirchweih.

Three Days of Program with Franconian and Bavarian Music

Saturday evening will be hosted by the party band »Dochrinna — die Partyband aus Franken«, known in the region for their mix of Schlager, Rock, and folk music. On Sunday afternoon, the »Hulzstoussboum« will perform — a Bavarian chamber music group that has appeared on Bayerischer Rundfunk, among other places. The festival finale on Monday will feature »Die Bockadn« and »Rundumadum« — both bands with an Upper Palatinate repertoire ranging from folk music, Schlager, and dance music.

Dürnsricht — District of Fensterbach in the Schwandorf District

Dürnsricht is one of several districts of the municipality of Fensterbach in the northern Schwandorf district, at the transition from the central Upper Palatinate to the Bavarian Forest. The municipality of Fensterbach has around 1,600 inhabitants spread across several villages and hamlets. The Kirwa Dürnsricht, alongside the Kirwa Wolfring, is one of the defining traditional events of the municipality and a meeting point for the entire surrounding area — from Schwarzenfeld to Schwandorf and into the Naab Valley.