Peter-und-Paul-Kirmes Bous

A Kirchweih (Church Dedication Festival) with Apostolic Patronage

The Peter-und-Paul-Kirmes in Bous is celebrated in honour of the apostles Peter and Paul — their patron saint's day on June 29th. The apostles Peter and Paul are the patron saints of the parish church St. Peter und Paul Bous, and the Kirmes is the secular extension of this church festival. This makes it a true Kirchweih in the classic sense — unlike the purely commercial annual markets in larger cities.

Location: Market Square and Mannesmannstraße

The Kirmes extends across the Marktplatz (Market Square) and the adjacent Mannesmannstraße. A new festival stage was erected on Mannesmannstraße in 2024, which has since become the central point for the opening ceremony and concerts. Amusement rides, shooting galleries, food stalls, and children's carousels line the area around the market square, interspersed with stalls from local clubs offering drinks, Schwenker (grilled meat skewers), and fries.

Programme Structure Over Five Days

The Kirmes follows a fixed schedule that perfectly showcases the charm of Saarland's patron saint's fairs:

• Friday — Opening: Official opening on the Mannesmannstraße stage with a church blessing, distribution of free ride tickets, and live music (in recent years with Die Konsorten)
• Saturday — Concert Night: Live concert (most recently with the Hound Doxx from 6 p.m.), big screen broadcast of major sporting events (European/World Championships), highlight: fireworks late in the evening
• Sunday — High Mass: Festive High Mass for the patron saint's day "Peter and Paul" at 10 a.m. in the parish church, followed by a morning pint with Kirmes brunch, children's programme in the afternoon
• Monday — Brotherhood Procession: Procession of the St.-Barbara-Bruderschaft (St. Barbara Brotherhood) at 10 a.m. (venerable tradition with historical costumes and flags), opening concert by the Musikfreunde Bous, craft market, catering by local clubs
• Tuesday — Family Day: Games and drawing competitions for school classes, reduced ride prices, leisurely end to the festival

The St.-Barbara-Bruderschaft

A special feature of the Bouser Kirmes is the Monday procession of the St.-Barbara-Bruderschaft. This historical miners' brotherhood commemorates Bous's mining past — the Mannesmann ironworks were one of the region's largest employers until the end of the 20th century. Dressed in traditional attire and carrying a historical flag, the members march through the festival mile — a moving moment for many long-time residents of Bous.

Bous in the Saarlouis District

Bous is located in the southern Saarlouis district, directly on the Saar river between Saarlouis and Saarbrücken. With just under 7,000 inhabitants, the municipality is one of the smaller ones in the district — however, the centuries-old tradition surrounding the parish church of St. Peter and Paul makes it a culturally significant centre of Catholic patron saint traditions in the Saarland.