Herzogenaurach Martinikirchweih

A Fair Around St. Martin's Day

Herzogenaurach, with just under 24,000 inhabitants and the headquarters of Adidas and Puma, is located in the Middle Franconian district of Erlangen-Höchstadt in the state of Bavaria. The Martinikirchweih commemorates Saint Martin and has been the city's most important autumn festival for generations. It takes place every year at the beginning of November around St. Martin's Day (November 11) — in 2026, from Friday, November 6, to Monday, November 9.

Colorful City Center with Rides

From Thursday morning, 7:00 AM, Hauptstraße between Reytherstraße and Steggasse, the Marktplatz, and Badgasse are closed to vehicle traffic. Some shops decorate their windows festively, restaurateurs set up standing tables, and showmen set up carousels, swing boats, duck fishing, and small rides for children. Classics like Magenbrot, candied almonds, and Schmalzgebäck are just as essential as the mulled wine hut and punch.

Lángos, Crêpes, and Herzogenaurach Beer

Culinary-wise, the Martinikirchweih is a cross-section of Franconian festival cuisine: Bratwurst and Schäuferla, crêpes and Lángos, Reibekuchen, steak sandwiches, mushrooms in cream sauce. For drinks, there's Herzogenaurach beer — the city has its own beer culture with the Heller Bräu brewery and the traditional Adler-Bräu — as well as mulled wine and punch in numerous variations.

Sunday Shopping

On Sundays, the shops in the city center open their doors from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM — the Sunday shopping is an important economic pillar of the Martinikirchweih and attracts additional visitors from the entire Erlangen-Höchstadt district as well as from Erlangen and Fürth. The Martinikirchweih is officially opened by the First Mayor, Dr. German Hacker, with an opening address on Friday at 5:00 PM on Hauptstraße.

A Franconian Tradition

The tradition of the Martinikirchweih dates back a long way. Like many Franconian Kirchweihen (church consecration festivals), it was originally the patronage festival of the parish church and developed over the centuries into a civic city festival. Today, the Martinikirchweih is one of the highlights of the Herzogenaurach festival calendar, alongside the summer festival and the Christmas market in Advent. The city center of Herzogenaurach, with its distinctive market square, the castle, and the late Gothic St. Magdalene's Church, provides the ideal backdrop.