Pichelsteinerfest Regen

The most traditional folk festival in the Bavarian Forest

The Pichelsteinerfest Regen is one of the oldest and largest folk festivals in Lower Bavaria. Since 1874, the Bavarian Forest town of Regen (Regen district, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria) has celebrated every summer the festival centered around the legendary Pichelsteiner Eintopf (stew) – a traditional stew made with three types of meat and vegetables, named after the Pichelstein hill in the Bavarian Forest. The 152nd edition will be celebrated in 2026.

Six festival days on two festival grounds

The Pichelsteinerfest traditionally runs for six days at the end of July, from Friday to Wednesday. The venues are two large festival grounds in Regen: Festplatz I Am Sand, featuring the main festival tent, and Festplatz II in Badstraße, with an additional area for rides. Over 30 music bands provide the entertainment in the beer tents and on the stages, complemented by modern amusement rides, showmen, and an extensive food court.

Pichelsteiner stew distribution on festival Monday

The hallmark of the festival is the Pichelsteiner stew distribution on festival Monday: Around 3,000 portions of the stew are served to festival-goers within an hour – a tradition that is unique in Bavaria in this form. This distinctive feature earned Regen the designation as an official Bavarian Genussort (place of culinary enjoyment) in 2018.

Highlights of the festival program

• Grand parade with brewery wagons, floats, traditional costume groups, and brass bands through Regen's old town
• Procession of the festival chefs, serving ladies, and children as little chefs
• Gondola procession on the Regen river – a unique water parade with handcrafted boats under a different theme each year
• 35-meter high water show spectacle with synchronized fountains and hundreds of light effects
• Stew distribution on festival Monday (3,000 portions)
• Grand finale fireworks display on the last festival evening

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bavaria

The Pichelsteinerfest is part of the Bavarian inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is supported by the town of Regen, with the assistance of the Pichelsteiner community, local associations, breweries, and the Tourist Information office.

Regen and the Bavarian Forest

Regen, with approximately 11,500 inhabitants, is the district capital of the Regen district in the Bavarian Forest (Lower Bavaria, Bavaria). The town is situated between the Bavarian Forest National Park and the Danube valley and is a popular tourist destination characterized by the Bavarian Forest cultural landscape. The Pichelsteinerfest is considered the most identity-defining festival of the Bavarian Forest, attracting around one hundred thousand visitors annually from Bavaria, the Czech Republic, and Upper Austria.