39. Oechsle Fest Pforzheim 2026

Pforzheim's Largest Wine and Speciality Festival

The Oechsle Fest Pforzheim has been the traditional culinary highlight of the Gold City since 1986 — a 17-day open-air festival that annually transforms the Marktplatz Pforzheim into a fragrant wine landscape at the end of August and beginning of September. The 39th edition in 2026 runs from Friday, August 21, to Sunday, September 6, 2026. The organiser is WSP — Wirtschaft und Stadtmarketing Pforzheim GmbH, under the patronage of the city.

Christian Ferdinand Oechsle — Pforzheim Inventor of the Must Weight Scale

The festival is named after the Pforzheim goldsmith and mechanic Christian Ferdinand Oechsle (1774–1852), inventor of the Oechsle scale named after him for measuring the must weight (sugar content) of grape must. This invention revolutionised wine measurement worldwide and remains the standard in German-speaking wine-growing regions to this day. The Oechsle Fest honours this great son of Pforzheim annually with a festival that combines wine, culinary delights, and Swabian-Baden conviviality.

180 Dishes, 200 Wines — Baden Meets Württemberg

Over 180 Baden-Württemberg specialities are on the menus of the participating restaurateurs. Pforzheim lies on the border between the two wine-growing regions of Baden and Württemberg — the festival celebrates this dual identity with over 200 wines from Baden-Württemberg. Local restaurateurs and clubs operate the festively decorated stalls and stands around the Marktplatz. Three wines created especially for the festival — Oechsle Gold, Oechsle Rubin, and Oechsle Rosé — can only be tasted here.

Free Live Music and Atmosphere

There is free live music on the main stage every day — from cover and party bands to Schlager and Stimmungsmusik, as well as acoustic sets. The festival starts every day at 11:00 AM and ends late on weekdays, and at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The festive lighting of the Marktplatz with the town hall as a backdrop makes mild summer evenings particularly atmospheric. Admission is free — you only pay for your wine and food.

Pforzheim — Gold City on the Edge of the Black Forest

Pforzheim (district 08231, around 127,000 inhabitants) is located on the northeastern edge of the Black Forest, at the confluence of the Enz, Nagold, and Würm rivers. The city has been the centre of the German jewellery and watch industry since the 18th century — hence the nickname Gold City. The Marktplatz with its distinctive town hall forms the heart of the city centre and is Pforzheim's traditional festival venue. You can reach the Marktplatz in 10 minutes on foot from the main train station.

Family-Friendly Late Summer Festival

The Oechsle Fest is explicitly family-friendly — children can attend with their parents during the day and will find non-alcoholic options at most stalls. With its 17 festival days, the Oechsle Fest is the longest wine and speciality festival in the region. The mix of Baden-Württemberg culinary tradition, live music, and the venerable Marktplatz setting explains why Pforzheim locals and visitors from the region mark the festival in their calendars every year at the end of August.