Schnaittenbacher Vitus-Kirwa
Traditional Vitus-Kirchweih in the Oberpfalz
About Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
A Kirwa for Saint Vitus
The Schnaittenbacher Vitus-Kirwa is the annual Kirchweih of the town of Schnaittenbach in the Amberg-Sulzbach district of Upper Palatinate. It is dedicated to Saint Vitus, whose feast day is celebrated on June 15th. Over four days around the weekend, the traditional Bavarian-Upper Palatinate folk festival custom is maintained in all its breadth.
The Kirwabaum as the Centrepiece
On Friday afternoon, the Kirwabaum is erected – a Maypole trunk up to 30 metres high, artfully decorated and raised under the eyes of the village community. On Monday evening, the auctioning of the Kirwabaum by the newly elected Oberkirwapaar (head Kirwa couple) traditionally follows.
Tree Dance with 28 Couples
The heart of the Kirwa is the Baumaustanzen (tree dance) on Sunday: Around 28 couples in traditional Upper Palatinate costume perform the traditional dances Sternpolka and Muhradl around the Kirwabaum. They rehearse for weeks under the guidance of Peter Fink. The performance is considered the cultural highlight of the entire season in the Amberg-Sulzbach district.
Four Days of Programme
The programme follows a well-rehearsed choreography: Friday Kirwabaum raising, Saturday fun run and live bands in the festival tent, Sunday festival service, concert, parade, lunch, and tree dance, Monday Frühschoppen with Weißwurst and brass music. The live music is provided by bands such as Rotzlöffl and D'Quertreiber.
Schnaittenbach in the Oberpfalz
Schnaittenbach is a small town with around 4,000 inhabitants in the Amberg-Sulzbach district in the state of Bavaria. The region is known for its kaolin pits (industrial history) and its deep-rooted Kirwa traditions – the Vitus-Kirwa is part of the Upper Palatinate Kirwa calendar.
Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach — edition 2026
The 2026 edition continues the established Kirwa programme and is organised by the Schnoittenbecker KirwaVerein e.V. under the leadership of Daniel Hutzler. As every year, a new Oberkirwapaar (head Kirwa couple) will be elected, who will auction the Kirwabaum on the final evening.
The tree dance is rehearsed under the guidance of Peter Fink and is considered one of the most beautiful in the region in the Amberg-Sulzbach district.
Programme Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach 2026
Day 1 — Friday, June 14th, 2026
- 2:00 PM – Kirwabaum Raising with the village community
- Evening: Opening of the festival tent with live band
Day 2 — Saturday, June 15th, 2026
- Morning: Fun run through Schnaittenbach
- Evening: Party night in the festival tent with live band
Day 3 — Sunday, June 16th, 2026 — Vitus Sunday
- 9:30 AM – Festival service
- Following: Concert by the brass band
- Parade through the town
- 11:30 AM – Festival lunch in the festival tent
- 3:30 PM – Tree Dance with 28 couples – Dances: Sternpolka and Muhradl
- Evening: Live bands in the festival tent
Day 4 — Monday, June 17th, 2026
- 10:00 AM – Frühschoppen with Weißwurst and brass music
- 10:00 PM – Auction of the Kirwabaum by the newly elected Oberkirwapaar
Updates will be published on kirwa-gemeinde.de.
Highlights Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach 2026
- Kirwabaum raising on Friday at 2:00 PM
- Tree dance with 28 couples in traditional Upper Palatinate costume
- Dances Sternpolka and Muhradl (instruction: Peter Fink)
- Festival service, concert, parade on Vitus Sunday
- Frühschoppen and auction of the Kirwabaum on Monday
Prices Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach 2026
Free admission. Food and drinks in the festival tent at usual folk festival prices.
Practical information — Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach
Getting There
Schnaittenbach is located about 15 km north of Amberg. Arrive by car via the A 6 (exit Amberg) or by train to Amberg, then bus to Schnaittenbach.
Admission
Admission to the Kirwa is free. Food and drinks are available directly at the festival tent.
Costume
Traditional costumes are a central element for the tree dance. Visitors in costume are especially welcome.
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.
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Where it takes place Vitus-Kirwa Schnaittenbach
Marktplatz / Festplatz Schnaittenbach
Marktplatz Schnaittenbach, 92253 Schnaittenbach