Name: Rother Kirchweih 2026
Start: 2026-08-07T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-08-11T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Festplatz Roth (Innenstadt)

Rother Kirchweih

About Rother Kirchweih

The Rother Kirchweih is the five-day traditional Kirchweih (a type of folk festival) of the Middle Franconian town of Roth — first documented in 1531, making it one of the oldest continuously celebrated Kirchweihen in the region. In 2026, it will take place from August 7th to 11th at the Festplatz Roth. The festival is structured by the beer tapping ceremony on Friday evening, the Rother Kirchweihlauf (fun run) on Sunday morning, a grand parade with over 40 clubs on Monday, and a closing fireworks display on Tuesday evening. The organizer is the City of Roth.

Dates 07 Aug — 11 Aug 2026

Venue Roth (09576)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Rother Kirchweih — edition 2026

The Rother Kirchweih 2026 runs from Friday, August 7th to Tuesday, August 11th, 2026, at the Festplatz Roth. Opening on Friday with beer tapping at 7 PM and a concert by the Stadtkapelle. Sunday at 9 AM: 24th Rother Kirchweihlauf. Monday: grand parade of clubs through Bahnhofstraße. Tuesday at 10 PM: closing fireworks. Organizer: City of Roth.

The Rother Kirchweih 2026 is officially confirmed on stadt-roth.de and regional event calendars: August 7 – 11, 2026. It is the annual main edition following a well-established pattern: five days of festivities, beer tapping, Kirchweihlauf, parade, and closing fireworks.

The Rother Kirchweihlauf will take place for the 24th time in 2026 — on Sunday, August 9th, 2026, starting at 9 AM around the Festplatz. Registration via the organizer.

Highlights Rother Kirchweih 2026

Beer tapping Friday evening at 7 PM; 24th Rother Kirchweihlauf on Sunday morning; Grand parade of clubs on Monday (40+ clubs); Closing fireworks Tuesday evening at 10 PM; Live bands in the festival tent; Franconian specialties and rides; Tradition since 1531.

Programme Rother Kirchweih 2026

Program August 7 – 11, 2026

Friday, August 7 — Opening Day. Festival starts at 5 PM. 6:30 PM Concert by the Stadtkapelle Roth. 7:00 PM Beer Tapping and official opening. Festival tent operations afterwards.
Saturday, August 8 — Festival activities with a live band in the festival tent.
Sunday, August 9 — 9:00 AM 24th Rother Kirchweihlauf around the Festplatz. Festival activities with band afterwards.
Monday, August 10 — Clubs' Day. Grand Kirchweih parade from Bahnhofstraße through the town center to the Festplatz with over 40 clubs. Festival tent operations with party music.
Tuesday, August 11 — Family Day. 10:00 PM Closing Fireworks.

Bands from previous years on the festival tent stage: Frankenbengel, Stodlrocker, Klostergold, The Moonlights, Alpinschlawiner, Partykracher. Current band lineup for 2026 on the city's program page.

Prices Rother Kirchweih 2026

No admission fee to the Festplatz. Prices per liter (Maß) and for rides are local rates. Registration for the Rother Kirchweihlauf through the City of Roth.

Practical information

Practical information — Rother Kirchweih

Getting There

Roth is located on the A 9 (Nuremberg – Munich, Roth exit) and on the Nuremberg – Treuchtlingen / Munich railway line. It is about a 10-minute walk from Roth station to the Festplatz. A shuttle service will be set up during the Kirchweih.

Festival Grounds

Festplatz Roth in the town center — festival tent + rides.

Admission

No admission fee to the Festplatz. Payment is made on-site for food, drinks, and rides.

Beer Price

The current price per liter (Maß) is set anew each year — see press releases from the City of Roth.

Organizer

City of Roth — Events Department. Phone +49 9171 848 512. Program: stadt-roth.de/kirchweih.

A Kirchweih with Roots in the 16th Century

The Rother Kirchweih is one of the oldest Kirchweihen in Middle Franconia — first documented in 1531. What began as a church patronal festival is now the largest folk festival in the town of Roth (around 26,000 inhabitants, seat of the Roth district administration) and an attraction for visitors from the entire Roth district and the Schwabach – Nuremberg region.

Five Days of Festivities with Clear Dramaturgy

The Kirchweih traditionally spans five days at the Festplatz Roth in the town center:

Friday — Opening in the evening with a concert by the Stadtkapelle Roth (Town Band Roth), entry into the festival tent, and beer tapping at 7 PM.
Saturday — Festival activities with live bands (“Frankenbengel”, “Stodlrocker”, “Klostergold”, “The Moonlights”, “Alpinschlawiner”, “Partykracher” rotate throughout the festival days).
Sunday — In the morning, the Rother Kirchweihlauf around the Festplatz (24th edition in 2026), festival activities in the afternoon and evening.
Monday — Clubs' Day with a grand parade through Bahnhofstraße into the town center to the Festplatz, with over 40 participating clubs from Roth and the surrounding area.
Tuesday — Closing with a fireworks display at 10 PM.

Festival Tent, Rides, and Bands

The large festival tent at the Festplatz serves festival beer and Franconian specialties (sausages, chicken, fish on a stick). On the Festplatz, rides for young and old complement the folk festival program — carousels, bumper cars, Ferris wheel. The musical entertainment in the festival tent changes daily, featuring regional cover bands as well as classic party bands.

The Rother Kirchweihlauf

A special feature of the Rother Kirchweih is the Rother Kirchweihlauf — a fun run around the Festplatz and town center, which traditionally starts on the festival Sunday at 9 AM since 2003. The 24th edition in 2026. Thus, the Kirchweih combines the convivial festival tent program with a sporting element for the whole family.

Roth — Capital of a Middle Franconian District

Roth is a medium-sized town in Middle Franconia on the edge of the Franconian Lake District, about 25 km south of Nuremberg. The town is also known for the DATEV Challenge Roth (world-class triathlon). The Kirchweih is the largest festival in the town's own event calendar and the identity-defining summer event for its citizens.