Marktplatzfest Goldkronach

Goldkronach – Mining Town with a Golden History

Goldkronach is one of the most traditional mining towns in Upper Franconia. In the 14th century, gold was panned and mined here – a heritage that the town still cherishes today. Every year at the end of June, the International German Gold Panning Championship takes place in the town, and the historic mine tunnels can be visited. With just under 4,000 inhabitants, Goldkronach is small but very active in terms of town culture.

The Marktplatzfest – A Meeting Place for Citizens

The Marktplatzfest may not be the largest, but it is probably the coziest town festival in Goldkronach. The town and all active associations jointly organize the program, and the baroque market square with its town hall and Protestant church forms an intimate festival backdrop. Unlike the spring and autumn Kerwa (at the same location, but with fairground rides), the Marktplatzfest focuses on live music, club life, and family programs.

Schedule of a Marktplatzfest Day

The festival starts in the afternoon with coffee and cake – served by local associations with homemade cakes. From 4:30 PM, the stage offers a colorful program: performances by Goldkronach kindergartens, children's choirs, dance groups, and school classes. From 5:00 PM, the doors of the Protestant town church open for church tower tours with views over the Fichtelgebirge. From 7:00 PM, a live band takes over the stage – usually a regional cover or show band, occasionally more established bands from the region like Play Again Sam.

SpVgg Goldkronach as Festival Caterer

SpVgg Goldkronach, the largest club in town, handles the catering as it has for decades: drinks, sausages from a charcoal grill, steaks, fries, plus a cake stand and ice cream. The proceeds go to the youth and club work of the sports association.

Fichtelgebirge as a Backdrop

Goldkronach is located in the middle of the Fichtelgebirge, the low mountain range between Bayreuth and the Czech border. The town is a starting point for hikes to Schneeberg (1,051 m, the highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge), to Ochsenkopf, and into the nature reserve. From the church tower of Goldkronach, on a clear day, you can see as far as the Franconian Forest and into the Czech Republic.

A Grown Town Festival

The Marktplatzfest is not a tourist spectacle, but an event organized by the town's community. That's precisely its charm: most festival-goers know each other, the children play in the market square as if they were at home, and the atmosphere on a summer evening is that of a large Franconian family.