Merksteiner Weinfest

Wine on the Dutch Border

The Merksteiner Weinfest is a lovingly staged late summer wine festival in the north of Aachen, organised by Stadtmarketing Herzogenrath. 2026 marks the sixth edition — the tradition is quickly establishing itself and attracts wine lovers from the German-Dutch border region.

Date and Opening Hours 2026

Four days of wine festival from 27 to 30 August 2026:

• Thursday 27.8. + Friday 28.8. + Saturday 29.8.: 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM
• Sunday 30.8.: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (with early morning pint tasting)

August-Schmidt-Platz — The Setting

The venue is August-Schmidt-Platz in Merkstein, a northern district of Herzogenrath. The square, with its surrounding buildings, creates a compact, cosy atmosphere for open-air wine enjoyment. Standing tables, benches, and gazebos will be transformed into a summery wine lounge for four days.

Four Vintners from German Wine Regions

Unlike large events with dozens of stalls, Merkstein focuses on a curated selection of four vintners — usually from classic German wine-growing regions such as Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Mosel, Franken, or Württemberg. Tastings, bottle sales directly at the stand, personal conversations with the vintners.

Sunday as the Early Morning Pint Highlight

Sunday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM has a special character as a tasting early morning pint — more relaxed, more family-oriented, with extensive tasting sets from the vintners and culinary accompaniment in tapas format. Anyone who wants to spend the whole day should come on Sunday.

Culinary Accompaniment

To complement the wine, there are small snacks — cheese, cold cuts, bread, tapas, possibly Flammkuchen. Instead of large food truck offerings, the market focuses on classic wine accompaniments: grapes, cheese cubes, olive pieces, salami slices, served with bread from the local baker. Beer and non-alcoholic drinks are available, but the focus is clearly on wine.

Herzogenrath and Merkstein

Herzogenrath is a medium-sized town with around 47,000 inhabitants in western North Rhine-Westphalia, directly on the Dutch border (Kerkrade is immediately opposite). Merkstein, a district in the north of Herzogenrath, has created its own summer profile with the wine festival. Its location on the German-Dutch border attracts an international audience from neighbouring Limburg.