Lampertheim Asparagus Festival

Lampertheim — Germany's 'Asparagus Capital'

Few towns in Germany identify as strongly with an agricultural product as Lampertheim does with asparagus. The sandy soils of the Hessian Bergstraße between the Rhine and the Odenwald forest are ideal for growing white asparagus, which is in season from April to June 24th ('Asparagus New Year's Eve'). Lampertheim, with its approximately 32,000 inhabitants, is considered one of the most important German cultivation areas and rightly bears the nickname 'Asparagus Capital' – a designation prominently used in city marketing and on numerous signs along the town limits.

Tradition Since the 1930s

The Lampertheim Asparagus Festival has been celebrated annually since the 1930s. In this nearly 100-year tradition, the festival has evolved from a pure harvest festival into a multi-generational event that combines a cultural program, gastronomy, and a typical small-town funfair.

Culinary Centerpiece

The gastronomic program of the three festival days naturally puts asparagus at the center. Local restaurants, producers, and associations offer asparagus in all its variations: classic with melted butter and ham, in the Hessian style with 'Green Sauce', as asparagus soup, asparagus pasta, or as a more daring crossover. The Lampertheim Asparagus Queens and Princesses from previous years accompany the event in a representative capacity.

Asparagus Market on Sunday in Ernst-Ludwig-Straße

The highlight for gourmets is the Asparagus Market on Sunday in Ernst-Ludwig-Straße. Direct marketers from Lampertheim and the surrounding cultivation communities of Bürstadt, Biblis, and Riedstadt offer freshly harvested asparagus, along with regional asparagus specialties, farmer's bread, wine, and sparkling wine from the Hessian Bergstraße. Those who visit the market rarely leave empty-handed.

Cultural Program and Funfair

Parallel to the culinary program, there are live concerts, dance performances, activities for children, and a classic funfair with rides on the outskirts of the city center. Some of the showman groups are the same as those at the Lambada Kerwe in September – a constellation that shows how closely folk festival tradition in Lampertheim is intertwined with local family businesses.

Asparagus Hike in April as a Kick-off

Anyone visiting the Asparagus Festival should know: Lampertheim has its own Asparagus Hike at the end of April, which leads through the fields at the start of the season. This kick-off event is part of the 'Asparagus Family' and is a nice addition to the main festival in June.