Berghäuser Kerwe – Rock im Kerschegaade

The Berghäuser Kerwe “Rock im Kerschegaade" clearly stands out from the classic Palatinate Kerwen. Instead of a festival tent and Kerwebaum, instead of brass bands and morning pint gatherings, the KjG Berghausen – the Catholic Youth Community of the Berghausen parish – has been organizing a five-day live music festival for over 20 years with a clear focus on rock music and young bands.

The “Kerschegaade"

The venue is the Kerschegaade – Palatinate dialect for “Kirchgasse" (church alley), or more precisely, the small alley to the right of the church in the Berghausen district of Römerberg municipality. The name is programmatic: “Rock im Kerschegaade" is the dialect version of “Rock in the Church Alley" and refers to the unusual venue and the sound that rings out there for five days.

KjG Berghausen as Organizer

The Catholic Youth Community (KjG) is a Catholic youth association represented in many German parish communities. The KjG Berghausen has been organizing the festival voluntarily for over 20 years and finances its youth work with the proceeds. Thus, “Rock im Kerschegaade" is simultaneously a festival, a youth project, and a contribution to the local parish community – an unusual but very vibrant combination in Berghausen.

Diverse Music Program

The festival presents bands from various genres over five festival days: Rock, Pop, Punk, Cover bands, Palatinate dialect rock, and occasionally other styles like Reggae or Singer-Songwriter. The bands come from the region and sometimes from beyond. The audience ranges from young festival-goers to long-time regular guests who have been attending the festival since its beginnings.

Bar and Catering

KjG members organize the bar and catering. Palatinate wine, beer, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks are offered, as well as bratwurst, fries, tarte flambée, and small snacks. The atmosphere is familiar and casual – an open-air concert in a special setting.

Berghausen and Römerberg

Berghausen is one of the three districts of the municipality of Römerberg, along with Heiligenstein and Mechtersheim. Römerberg is located in the southern Rhein-Pfalz district, directly on the city border with Speyer. With its approximately 9,500 inhabitants (spread across the three districts), the municipality is one of the larger local communities in the district. “Rock im Kerschegaade" is one of the most original festival concepts in the region.