Pfingstfest Eilsdorf

Over 200 Years of Marksmen Tradition

When a Pfingstfest has been documented since 1821, it has a story to tell. The Pfingstfest Eilsdorf – a district of the municipality of Huy in the Harz district – is one of the oldest continuously documented marksmen's and Pentecost festivals in Saxony-Anhalt. The Eilsdorf Marksmen's Club has preserved the tradition for over two centuries – with the King's Procession, the King's Proclamation, and festive accompaniment.

Huywald and the Vorharz Region

Eilsdorf is located on the northern edge of the Huywald, a wooded ridge in the North Harz mountains between Halberstadt and Wernigerode. The municipality of Huy was formed in 2010 from the merger of 13 villages, including Eilsdorf, Pabstorf, Aderstedt, and Huy-Neinstedt. It is part of the Vorharz collective municipality in the Harz district – a region where Schützen-, Pfingst-, and local festivals are central to community and social life.

The Schedule — Three Days of Tradition

The festival begins on Whit-Friday with the marquee opening. On Whit-Saturday, the main festival day, the marksmen will process starting at 11 AM in Eilsdorf — the King's Procession and the collection of dignitaries. In the afternoon, the traditional coffee and cake gathering starts at 2 PM for families and seniors, followed by the marquee program with live music and disco in the evening. Whit-Sunday and Monday conclude with morning drinks (Frühschoppen) and family programs. The state of Saxony-Anhalt has one of its most unbroken traditional festivals in Eilsdorf.