Martinsmarkt of Regional Delicacies Dernau

From Wine Festival to St. Martin's Festival

The Martinsmarkt of Regional Delicacies is a standalone event with which the wine culture village of Dernau marks the transition from the wine year to the Advent season. For three days, the last activities related to the new wine harvest are combined with the vibrant St. Martin's traditions of the valley: torchlight hike, St. Martin's procession, and St. Martin's bonfire in the vineyards.

Torchlight Hike with Wine Tasting

The event kicks off on Friday evening with a torchlight hike and wine tasting. Hikers walk with torches through the evening vineyards around Dernau, with Ahr wines being served at several stations. This combination of movement, wine, and light symbolism shapes the character of the festival.

Market on Saturday and Sunday

On Saturday from 11 AM, the market opens in the village center. Arts and crafts, Ahr wine, mulled wine, regional specialties, and products from Middle Ahr vintners and restaurateurs line the main street and the market square. Sunday continues the format from 11 AM, culminating in a relaxed end to the festival.

St. Martin's Procession and Bonfire

The highlight is the St. Martin's procession on Saturday at 6 PM. With Saint Martin on horseback, children with lanterns, and music bands, the procession winds through the alleys of Dernau. Afterwards, five village communities from the Middle Ahr Valley traditionally light their St. Martin's bonfires in the vineyards above the villages – a spectacle that transforms the entire valley into a sea of flames.