Maintal Grape Blossom Festival

Viticulture on the Eastern Outskirts of Frankfurt

Maintal is a town in the Main-Kinzig district east of Frankfurt, formed from the four formerly independent districts of Bischofsheim, Dörnigheim, Hochstadt, and Wachenbuchen. While the town is now mainly perceived as a residential area in the Frankfurt hinterland, the district of Hochstadt in particular is one of the traditional wine-growing areas of the region. Hochstadt viticulture is small but continuous – the vines grow on the Hochstädter Berg above the Maintal valley.

Grape Blossom Festival in the Winzerhof

The Rebenblütenfest is held in the Winzerhof at Bischofsheimer Straße 9 in Hochstadt. The name refers to the seasonal occasion: the grapevines' blooming period in June, traditionally the first major event of the year in the wine calendar. Unlike the large wine festivals in the region (Hochheim, Rüdesheim), the Rebenblütenfest is a village festival – familial, organized by the winegrowers' association, without a large stage, with a focus on the interaction between wine hosts and their guests.

Program and Atmosphere

The festival runs on Saturday from 4:00 PM and on Sunday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Wines from Hochstadt cultivation are served in the Winzerhof, complemented by Hessian cuisine and sweets. The organizers explicitly ask that bicycles be parked outside the Winzerhof – a note on the intimate character of the festival.

Maintal Festival Calendar

The Rebenblütenfest is one of several wine festivals held in Maintal throughout the year. In September, the larger Maintaler Weinfest follows in the same courtyard. Together, these two dates shape the town's wine festival calendar.

Hochstadt Viticulture

Viticulture in Hochstadt dates back to the Middle Ages and was part of Hessian wine culture for centuries. Today, a few hobby vintners and the winegrowers' association maintain the vines on the Hochstädter Hang – a comparatively small but continuous growing area unusually close to Frankfurt.