Name: Nördlinger Mess' 2026
Start: 2026-06-06T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-15T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Kaiserwiese Nördlingen

Nördlinger Mess

About Nördlinger Mess

The Nördlinger Mess' is the largest folk festival in North Swabia and one of the most traditional in all of Bavaria. With roots dating back to 1219, it was one of the most important trade fairs in Upper Germany during the Middle Ages, serving as a hub for textiles, salt, wine, and spices across Central Europe. Today, the Mess' takes place annually in early summer on the Kaiserwiese in the historic imperial city of Nördlingen: ten days of festivities featuring exciting rides, a beer tent, over 200 market stalls, and the concurrently held Rieser Verbraucherausstellung (RVA). In 2026, the Mess' took place from June 6 to June 15.

Dates 06 Jun — 15 Jun 2026

Venue Nördlingen (09779)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Nördlinger Mess — edition 2026

The 2026 Nördlinger Mess' took place from Saturday, June 6, to Monday, June 15, 2026, at the Kaiserwiese in Nördlingen. The festivities kicked off with a grand parade through the historic old town at 2:00 PM, followed by the traditional beer tapping ceremony in the festival tent at 7:00 PM by Mayor David Wittner. The ten-day event featured amusement rides, a beer tent, over 200 market stalls, the concurrent Rieser Verbraucherausstellung (RVA) trade fair, and plenty of local culinary delights. The event concluded on 'Herrenmontag,' Nördlingen's traditional local holiday.

The 2026 edition of the Nördlinger Mess' stood in the tradition of over 800 years of festival history. It opened on Saturday, June 6th, 2026, with the grand parade through the old town of Nördlingen starting at 2:00 PM.

In the evening, the beer tapping ceremony by Lord Mayor David Wittner followed at 7:00 PM in the festival tent on the Kaiserwiese. For ten days, the festival grounds offered attractions for all generations: carousels, a Ferris wheel with views of the city wall and the Nördlinger Ries, classic rides, and modern high-speed attractions.

The grand finale was Herrenmontag on June 15th, 2026 — the local holiday celebrated only in Nördlingen, when the entire city gathers on the Kaiserwiese.

Highlights Nördlinger Mess 2026

Grand parade through the old town on Saturday, June 6, 2026, starting at 2:00 PM — Beer tapping at 7:00 PM in the festival tent by Mayor David Wittner — Over 200 market stalls and the concurrent Rieser Verbraucherausstellung (RVA) with over 100 exhibitors — Herrenmontag on June 15 as the traditional local holiday and festival finale.

Programme Nördlinger Mess 2026

Confirmed Highlights of the 2026 Mess'

Saturday, 06/06/2026 — 2:00 PM: Grand parade through the old town; 7:00 PM: Beer tapping in the festival tent by Mayor David Wittner
06/06–15/06/2026 — Daily festival activities at the Kaiserwiese with rides, a beer tent, and over 200 market stalls
Monday, 15/06/2026 — Herrenmontag: The traditional final day and Nördlingen's local holiday

Concurrent Event: Rieser Verbraucherausstellung (RVA)

Running alongside the Mess' at the same venue was the Rieser Verbraucherausstellung (RVA), an independent regional trade fair featuring over 100 local and national exhibitors. A detailed daily schedule is published by the City of Nördlingen shortly before the festival begins.

Prices Nördlinger Mess 2026

Admission to the festival grounds and the Rieser Verbraucherausstellung is free. Beer and food in the festival tent are available for purchase at standard Bavarian festival prices. Amusement rides are paid for individually.

Practical information

Practical information — Nördlinger Mess

Getting There

Nördlingen is located in the district of Donau-Ries (Bavaria), approx. 40 km north of Donauwörth and 80 km west of Ingolstadt. By car via the B 25 (Donauwörth–Nördlingen) or B 466 (Heidenheim). By train from Munich, Augsburg, or Donauwörth — the station is approx. 1.2 km from the Kaiserwiese. A shuttle service will be provided during the Mess'.

Admission

Admission to the Mess' and the Rieser Consumer Exhibition is free. Food, drinks, and rides are paid for on-site. Prices for a liter of beer are on par with Bavarian folk festivals.

Accommodation

Hotels and guesthouses in the city area and along the Romantic Road. Early booking is recommended during the Mess' week.

Contact

Tourist Information Nördlingen, Marktplatz 2, 86720 Nördlingen, Tel. +49 9081 84-116, [email protected].

Nördlinger Mess' — From Imperial Fair to Bavarian Folk Festival

The Nördlinger Mess' is more than just a folk festival—it is living history. First documented in 1219, it was one of the most significant trade fairs in Upper Germany during the High Middle Ages. Located at the intersection of several trade routes and within the fertile crater of the Nördlinger Ries, Nördlingen served as a hub for textiles, salt, wine, spices, and livestock from half of Europe.

Nördlingen — The Imperial City in the UNESCO Geopark Ries

The Mess' takes place in one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Southern Germany. Nördlingen is located in the state of Bavaria, in the Donau-Ries district, and in the heart of the Nördlinger Ries—a 15-million-year-old impact crater that is now a UNESCO Global Geopark. The circular city wall, with its 16 towers and 5 gates, is completely intact and accessible to visitors; the "Daniel" (the tower of St. George's Church) is one of Bavaria's most iconic landmarks.

Festival Highlights

For ten days, the Kaiserwiese transforms into a fairground featuring:

Exciting rides for all ages—from carousels and Ferris wheels to high-speed loops for adrenaline junkies
A large festival tent with a daily changing music program
Over 200 market stalls offering regional products, sweets, and handicrafts
Food and specialty stands: local butchers and bakers, fish fryers, Italian pizza, crêpes, and Turkish döner

Running parallel to the Mess' on the same grounds is the Rieser Verbraucherausstellung (RVA)—an independent regional trade fair with over 100 regional and national exhibitors. The RVA and the Mess' are two distinct events held together. No official, separately reported visitor numbers for the Mess' are currently published.

Grand Parade and Tapping of the Keg

The Mess' traditionally opens on the festival Saturday with a grand parade through the old town starting at 2:00 PM. In the evening, the Lord Mayor of Nördlingen performs the ceremonial tapping of the first keg in the festival tent. For the 2026 Mess', Lord Mayor David Wittner performed the tapping at 7:00 PM.

Herrenmontag — Nördlingen's Local Holiday

The Mess' traditionally concludes with "Herrenmontag," a local holiday observed only in Nördlingen. Shops close, and the entire city heads to the Kaiserwiese to celebrate the end of the festival with their families.