Pfingstfest der Lions Lebach

Charity Under a Thousand-Year-Old Tree

The Pfingstfest der Lions Lebach is one of those typical small events that characterize the Saarland region in May/June between larger festivals: a charity open-air event in a special location, organized by a service club, financed through donations and volunteer work. The venue is extraordinary: the Hofgut La Motte near Lebach, a historic estate in whose park an Old Yew Tree is protected as a natural monument — the tree is considered one of the oldest yew trees in the Saarland, estimated to be several hundred years old.

The Lions Club Lebach

The Lions Club Lebach, founded in 1987, is part of the global Lions Clubs International network. Its goal: to support social and charitable projects through donations and volunteer work. The Pfingstfest is one of the most important sources of income for the Lions Club Lebach. Over the years, proceeds have supported youth projects, schools, food banks, relief funds, and international aid projects.

The Program

The format is deliberately kept simple: on Whit Monday, the Lions members open their stalls at the Hofgut from 11 a.m. onwards. There is homemade cake (often by the wives of Lions members), coffee, wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks, and small grilled snacks. The regional music association plays from morning until afternoon — usually a brass band from the Saarlouis district, sometimes supplemented by a choir. Families sit on blankets or at beer tables on the lawn in front of the yew tree, children run around, and older residents of Lebach meet for a chat.

Natural Monument Old Yew Tree

The Old Yew Tree itself is the secret star. Yew trees live to be extremely old in our region — the Lebach yew is likely one of the oldest trees in the area. Anyone who sees its wide-spreading branches on Whit Monday and experiences the atmosphere of the beer tables set up around it understands why the Lions chose this spot for their festival.

Lebach and the Saarlouis District

Lebach is located in the north of the Saarlouis district, at the transition from the Saarkohlenwald (Saar Coal Forest) to the Hochwald (High Forest). The town is known for its view of the Schaumberg in Tholey, the former reception camp, and its vibrant club scene. The Pfingstfest is part of a typical Saarland service club commitment, which, along with parish festivals, Schützenfeste (marksmen's festivals), and club festivals, fills the municipality's event calendar.

Atmosphere

Those who prefer a quiet, cultivated format — classical music in the parish garden, brass band music under trees, cake with whipped cream — and at the same time want to do something good will find the Lions' Pfingstfest a good fit. It is a typical example of the service club culture that, in the Saarland — from carnival clubs and marksmen's guilds to Rotarians and Lions — finances a dense network of social work through festival proceeds.