Rodener Tage

The Roden District Festival — Tradition and Neighbourhood

For decades, the Rodener Tage has been a fixed point in the Saarlouis event calendar. The venue is the market square in the Roden district — Saarlouis' most populous district in the Saarlouis district. It is organised by the Förderverein die Rodener e. V. (Support Association for Roden), in close cooperation with the district town of Saarlouis and the Roden neighbourhood management.

What Makes the Rodener Tage Special

What gives this festival its special character is its integration with the neighbourhood: clubs, schools, daycare centres, and district initiatives shape the programme. The award ceremony for the largest decorated wagon groups on the first day of the festival is a small highlight — clubs and families spend weeks decorating handcarts and trailers, which then roll through the town centre.

Stage Programme and Gastronomy

Several stages are set up on the market square and in the adjacent streets. Local bands, dance groups, and choirs perform, interspersed with classic speeches and club honours. Clubs and local restaurateurs are involved in the catering — Lyoner, Schwenker (grilled meat speciality), Bratwurst, Saarland specialities, and of course, beer from the barrel.

Embedded in »Roden im Mai«

The Rodener Tage is the grand finale of the »Roden im Mai« (Roden in May) series: Throughout May, the district hosts events ranging from a Repair Café, Maypole raising, May 1st concerts, hiking tours, a day at the children's and youth farm, to neighbourhood lunches. The festival days themselves are the convivial highlight.

Saarlouis and Roden

Saarlouis was founded as a fortress by Louis XIV in 1680 and, with its Vauban star fortress, shapes the lower Saar valley. The Roden district is located north of the old town, across the Saar river. Roden has 12,000 inhabitants, a vibrant club life, and a strong sense of district pride — you can feel this in every corner of the market square during the Rodener Tage.