Magdalenenfest Eckartshausen

Eckartshausen — a small district with a great festival tradition

Eckartshausen is a district of the market town of Maroldsweisach in the Haßberge district, in the Bavarian administrative region of Lower Franconia. This small, scattered settlement lies in the Haßberge Nature Park, a hilly low mountain range between the Main and Werra rivers that shapes the Lower Franconian landscape. Despite its manageable size, the village maintains a vibrant club culture — supported by the rifle club, the fire department, and the Catholic parish community, which celebrates the patronage of Saint Mary Magdalene.

Saint Mary Magdalene — Patron Saint of the Eckartshausen Parish Church

Saint Mary Magdalene is one of the central female figures of the New Testament — a witness to Christ's resurrection and, in Catholic tradition, the patron saint of penitents, repentant sinners, but also of hairdressers, gardeners, and perfumers. Her feast day is on July 22nd. The Eckartshausen parish church bears the Magdalene patronage, and the annual Magdalenenfest is therefore more than just a village festival: it combines Catholic patronal customs with the social summer festival of the rifle club.

Suckling Pig, Pizza, and Concordia-Kids

The evening festival is organized by the Eckartshausen Rifle Club, which hosts the festival grounds at the rifle club house. The culinary highlight is the suckling pig from the charcoal grill — traditionally served with crispy crackling, fresh rolls, and coleslaw — as well as freshly baked pizza from the wood-fired oven, which is also popular on cooler summer evenings. The musical accent is provided by the performance group Concordia-Kids — the young talents of the local Concordia singing club, who create a family-friendly atmosphere with songs and small performances.

Festival Service at 5:30 PM

The religious center of the patronal festival is the festival service at 5:30 PM in the St. Mary Magdalene Parish Church. The service is accompanied by the local church choir, after which the priest and congregation process to the neighboring rifle club house, where the actual festivities begin. This combination of liturgy and social festival evening is typical of Catholic patronal festivals in the Haßberge region — and clearly distinguishes the Magdalenenfest from commercial village festivals.

In the Festival Calendar of Maroldsweisach's Districts

The Magdalenenfest is part of the event calendar of the market town of Maroldsweisach, which includes patronal festivals, church consecrations, and club festivals in the various districts throughout the year. For visitors from the region — Haßfurt, Königsberg, Ebern, Coburg — the Magdalenenfest offers an authentic Lower Franconian summer evening away from the tourist hotspots.