Salinefest Halle

Where Halle's White Gold is Celebrated

Halle (Saale) owes its wealth to salt. For centuries, the Halloren of the Salzwirker-Brüderschaft im Thale zu Halle (Salt Workers' Brotherhood in the Valley of Halle) evaporated brine from the Saale springs – and the city in the present-day state of Saxony-Anhalt grew with it. This very history comes alive every year at the end of September in the courtyard of the Technical Halloren and Salt Museum during the Salinefest.

On the festival grounds directly behind the historic boiling houses, the Halloren, in their traditional costumes, stand at the pan, scoop up brine, and pack the freshly won salt into paper molds – a Schausieden (live salt-boiling demonstration) that, in this form, only takes place in Halle in Germany. Anyone interested can take a ladle into their own hand and get an impression of how arduous the work over an open fire must have been.

Family Program Between the Forge and the Stage

Around the boiling houses, hands-on stations for children are set up: growing salt crystals, embossing leather belts, working at the forge, and molding small salt figures. On the main stage, regional folk and singer-songwriter acts alternate with demonstrations by the Halloren Guild. The Knappschaft serves hearty Halloren plum stew and, of course, the famous Halloren Kugel chocolates, sourced directly from a Halle confectioner.

History You Can Touch

Anyone visiting the city in the Saalekreis district should combine a visit to the Salinefest with a tour of the museum. The permanent exhibition tells 1,000 years of salt history – from the medieval salt workers' guild to the Royal Prussian Saltworks to today's Halloren. The Salinefest itself is not just a folk festival (Volksfest), but also a living testament to a city tradition that has shaped Halle like hardly any other heritage.