Kirwa Kirchdorf im Wald

Kirwa in the Lower Bavarian Bavarian Forest

The Kirwa Kirchdorf im Wald is a classic date in the customs calendar of the Arberland region. Like most Lower Bavarian Kirchweihen, it combines the church consecration of the parish patron with a lively village festival. It is traditionally celebrated on the last weekend of August – in 2026, from Friday, August 28th to Sunday, August 30th.

Program between Tradition and Inn Culture

The Kirwa opens on Friday evening with the festive tapping of the keg and brass music in the festival tent. Saturday is dedicated to dance evenings and live bands from the region – typically Lower Bavarian is the mix of traditional folk music, Schlager, and party rock. On Sunday, the festive church service in the parish church marks the start, followed by a Frühschoppen (morning pint) in the festival tent, often with a children's program in the afternoon. In some years, a Kerwabaum (festival pole) is erected over the weekend, decorated by the young men and raised to the sound of brass music.

Bavarian Forest and Lower Bavarian Delicacies

In the festival tent: Lower Bavarian inn cuisine – roast pork with dumplings, pork knuckle, sausages, Leberkäse, accompanied by regional beer and bread platters. The atmosphere is typically *Arberländerisch*: unpretentious, hearty, with a high proportion of locals and acquaintances from the surrounding communities. Tourists from the Bavarian Forest National Park are welcome, but the festival is not primarily aimed at them.

Kirchdorf im Wald

Kirchdorf im Wald is a municipality in the district of Regen, on the edge of the Bavarian Forest National Park and near the Großer Arber – Bavaria's highest low mountain range outside the Alps. The approximately 2,000 inhabitants live from tourism, forestry, and small-scale agriculture. Those who visit the Kirwa can combine it with hikes on the Großer Arber, Großer Falkenstein, or Lusen – the National Park begins a few kilometers away.