Sausenheimer Weinkerwe

Sausenheim — Palatinate Wine Village in the Leiningerland

Sausenheim has been a district of Grünstadt since 1969 and is located northwest of the town center, on the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The Palatinate wine village has preserved its own identity – and this is particularly evident in the Weinkerwe, which is one of the fixed dates in the Palatinate festival calendar. Unlike the Asselheimer Weinkerwe in August, the Sausenheimer Weinkerwe falls in September, thus during the Palatinate wine harvest season – which shapes the character of the festival.

Five Days During Harvest Season

The Weinkerwe lasts for five days, from Thursday to Monday. The Sausenheim vintners open stands in the village center, supplemented by club stands, food stalls, and a stage for the music program. The mid-September date is climatically ideal: the days are still warm, the evenings get cooler – perfect for long Palatinate festival evenings.

Hütt and Honigsack Vineyards

The Sausenheim vintners serve wines from the Hütt and Honigsack vineyard sites. Both sites are also cultivated by Grünstadt vintners and are part of the joint vineyard hike Höllenpfad. However, at the Sausenheimer Weinkerwe, they are the focus – as the home sites of this Palatinate district.

Palatinate Festival Customs (Kerwebräuche)

Like all Palatinate festivals (Kerwen), the Sausenheimer Weinkerwe follows established customs: raising the festival maypole (Kerwebaum), the festival bachelor (Kerweborscht) and maids (Kerwemädels), the morning pint (Frühschoppen) on festival Sunday, and the festival speech (Kerweredd) on festival Monday. The local clubs – fire brigade, sports club, music association, singing society – organize the festival program and ensure the typical village atmosphere.