Lichtenberger Johannis-Kirchweih

Lichtenberg — Town on the eastern Frankenwald

The town of Lichtenberg in the Hof district is one of Bavaria's smallest towns — with just around 1,000 inhabitants, located on the eastern edge of the Frankenwald near the Thuringian border. The historic Lichtenberg castle ruins and the Frankenwaldsee lake shape the landscape. The Heimat- und Wiesenfest (celebrated since 1832 with flower dances and crossbow competitions at the Frankenwaldsee) is, alongside the Johannis-Kirchweih, one of the most important traditional events in the annual calendar.

Feast of St. John the Baptist at the Johanneskirche

The Johannis-Kirchweih is linked to the Protestant Johanneskirche in Lichtenberg — dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, whose feast day is celebrated on June 24. According to the traditional rule, the Kirchweih takes place exactly on this date if it is a Saturday or Sunday; otherwise, it is moved to the following weekend. This makes the Lichtenberg Johannis-Kirchweih one of the few Upper Franconian Kirchweihen with a clearly church-anchored, theological date and not purely a folk festival.

Church Service, Festival Tent, Community Life

The highlight of the festival is the church service in the Johanneskirche, after which public life moves to the festival tent and the market square. As is customary at a Franconian Kerwa, there will be Bratwürste (sausages), Schäuferle (pork shoulder), and Frankenwald specialties, along with local beer. Local associations — from the volunteer fire brigade to the shooting club — are actively involved, mobilizing the entire community life of the town. Live music and dance evenings are part of the regular program, as is a family afternoon with children's activities.

Frankenwald Tradition

The Lichtenberg Johannis-Kirchweih is part of the many small town and village Kerwa events that characterize the Frankenwald in the summer. Those who want to experience authentic Upper Franconian festival culture will find a typical example here, without mass tourism, but with genuine community spirit and a strong religious-cultural background. The town of Lichtenberg is easily accessible via the bypass to Hof; travel by train is possible via Hof Hauptbahnhof (main station) followed by a bus.