Rülzheim Kerwe
Four-day traditional Kirchweih (church consecration festival) in the southern Palatinate municipality of Rülzheim with a ceremonial opening and a colorful program.
About Rülzheim Kerwe
The Rülzheim Kerwe is part of the vibrant southern Palatinate Kerwe tradition and is celebrated particularly elaborately in the municipality of Rülzheim, a town with around 8,500 inhabitants in the Rülzheim collective municipality. In its current form, the festival dates back to the patron saint's day of the local Catholic parish church and has developed over the years into a community-wide folk festival.
Concept
Unlike the purely village-club-oriented Kerwen of smaller municipalities, the Rülzheim Kerwe has a more comprehensive character: a larger festival tent with a stage, showmen with rides, club stalls, and food stands are spread across the festival grounds. The festival is organized by the municipality of Rülzheim, the local clubs, and the Kulturgemeinde Rülzheim (Rülzheim Cultural Association), which contributes a sophisticated accompanying program.
Program Structure
The Kerwe opens on Saturday with the ceremonial opening ceremony and the traditional beer tapping, followed by the first dance evening. Sunday and Monday are the main visitor days with all-day catering, rides, and stage program. The traditional Frühschoppen with brass music on Sunday morning, the Kerwerede by the Kerweborsch on Sunday afternoon, and the big dance evening on Sunday and Monday characterize the festival weekend. Tuesday marks a relaxed conclusion.
Catering
Classic Palatinate style: Bratwurst, steak, Saumagen (pig's stomach stuffed with pork and bread), Leberknödel (liver dumplings), fries, salads, accompanied by Kerwe beer on tap, Palatinate wine, and Schorle (wine mixed with sparkling water).
Rülzheim Kerwe — edition 2026
The exact program for 2026 will be published in advance by the municipality of Rülzheim and the Kulturgemeinde Rülzheim. The structure follows the proven key points of previous years.
The Kerwe is considered one of the most important August dates in the Rülzheim collective municipality and attracts visitors from the entire southern Palatinate region.
Programme Rülzheim Kerwe 2026
The exact program for 2026 will be published in advance. The structure follows the proven key points of previous years:
- Sat, Aug 1st, Evening: Ceremonial opening of the Kerwe with beer tapping on the festival grounds, followed by the first dance evening in the festival tent.
- Sun, Aug 2nd, Morning: Festive church service in Rülzheim parish church, followed by traditional Frühschoppen with brass music.
- Sun Afternoon: Kerwerede by the Kerweborsch with a humorous reflection on events in the village, all-day catering.
- Sun Evening: Second major dance evening in the festival tent.
- Mon, Aug 3rd, All Day: Family Day with reduced ride prices, further stage program.
- Tue, Aug 4th, Evening: Closing evening with the traditional Kerwerbeerdigung (burial of the Kerwe) by the Kerweborsch and a joint conclusion.
- Catering: Classic Palatinate style with Bratwurst, Saumagen, Leberknödel, fries, Palatinate wine, and Kerwe beer.
Highlights Rülzheim Kerwe 2026
- Largest folk festival in the municipality of Rülzheim.
- Ceremonial opening ceremony on Saturday.
- Kerwerede by the Kerweborsch on Sunday afternoon.
- Festival tent with two major dance evenings.
- Frühschoppen with brass music on Sunday morning.
Prices Rülzheim Kerwe 2026
Practical information — Rülzheim Kerwe
Date: Saturday, August 1st to Tuesday, August 4th, 2026.
Location: Festplatz Rülzheim, 76761 Rülzheim.
Admission: free. Rides are subject to a charge.
Organizers: Municipality of Rülzheim, Kulturgemeinde Rülzheim, and local clubs.
Getting there: by car via the B9, parking available at the festival grounds, by bus from Germersheim main train station.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
Max. 5 photos, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Each suggestion is reviewed by our team before being published.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.