Priesendorfer Kirchweih

A Franconian Main Kirchweih with Old Customs

The Priesendorfer Kirchweih — or, as the locals say, the »Priesendorfer Kerwa« — is the main Kirchweih of the Upper Franconian village of Priesendorf in the Bamberg district. It takes place every year at the end of August and traditionally lasts for five days, from Friday to Tuesday. The organizer is the Priesendorfer Kerwasburschen- & Madla e.V. — the typical Franconian Kerwa club of young men (»Burschen«) and young women (»Madla«) who volunteer to run the festival.

The Frog-Sticking at the Lake in Kulm

A special feature of Priesendorf is the Frog-Sticking (Fröscherstechen) at the lake in Kulm to kick off the festival: a lively outdoor competition tradition with food and drinks by the lake, heralding the Kerwa weekend. Afterwards, the celebration continues in the Priesendorf community hall with live music until late at night — free admission.

Maypole and Straw Bear Parade

Saturday is all about the Kerwasbaam (Maypole): The pole is brought from the forest at noon and erected in front of the parish church in the afternoon using old levering poles — a test of strength for the Burschen, accompanied by local music groups. The Straw Bear Parade (Strohbärenumzug) on festival Monday is the second cultural highlight: Burschen dress up elaborately as Straw Bears (Strohbären) (an old Franconian Kerwa figure completely wrapped in straw) and parade through the village, until a large bonfire concludes the festival late in the evening.

Gasthaus Schrüfer as the Heart of the Festival

The central catering venue is the Gasthaus Schrüfer — the traditional village inn, which offers daily Franconian Kerwa specialties (Bratwürste, Schäuferla, Krautwickel, oven-roasted chicken) and draft beer during the Kerwa. The beer garden serves coffee and cake in the afternoon — a pure Franconian inn atmosphere.

Festival Service on Sunday

The religious core of the festival is the Festival Service on Sunday morning at 9 AM in the Priesendorf parish church. After the service, lunch is served with families and festival visitors, followed by a football tournament with men's and women's games in the afternoon, and a free festival party in the festival hall in the evening.

A Community with Five Kirchweihen

Remarkable: The small community of Priesendorf — with just around 1,000 inhabitants and its districts — has a total of five Kirchweihen on the calendar: the Sportsmen's Kerwa in June, the Anna-Kirchweih and Neuhausener Kirchweih in July and October, the Fish Kerwa in November, and the main Kirchweih at the end of August. This density is characteristic of the Franconian region around Bamberg, where every local district and every larger club maintains its own Kirchweih tradition.

Priesendorf — Franconian Farming Village in the Bamberg District

Priesendorf is located about 20 kilometers northwest of Bamberg, at the transition from the Main plain to the Steigerwald forest. With just over 1,000 inhabitants, the village remains predominantly agricultural and Franconian — fruit and vegetable farming, beer brewing tradition, and an active club scene characterize the place. The Kerwa is the social highlight of the year here and brings together former Priesendorf residents from all over the republic.