Schriesheimer Mathaisemarkt

Germany's Oldest Wine Festival

The Schriesheimer Mathaisemarkt is an institution. It is considered the oldest wine festival in Germany – documented since the year 1580. In 2026, the 445th edition will be held. Schriesheim, the small wine town on the Bergstraße (Rhein-Neckar district, state of Baden-Württemberg), located north of Heidelberg, has nurtured the market over many generations and made it one of the largest wine festivals in Southern Germany.

Tradition Since 1580

The name "Mathaisemarkt" goes back to Saint Matthias – one of the apostles whose feast day falls in February in the Catholic tradition. Originally, the Mathaisemarkt was a classic spring market that brought together farmers, traders, and citizens of the Bergstraße for joint trade. Over time, the market became increasingly associated with the region's wine tradition and developed into today's major festival.

Over 100,000 Visitors

Today, the Mathaisemarkt regularly attracts over 100,000 visitors over the ten festival days. This makes it one of the largest wine festivals in Southern Germany and an important economic factor for Schriesheim and the entire Rhine-Neckar region.

Program Highlights

• Grand Parade on Sunday, March 15, 2026, 2 PM — 50 themed floats and walking groups under the motto "Schriesheimer Sehenswürdigkeiten"
• Festival Tent with catering throughout the ten festival days
• Amusement Park with rides, showmen, food stalls
• Art Exhibition "Dem Leben nahe" by Schriesheim artist Elsbeth Lang
• Wine Sales by Bergstraße wineries with Riesling, Spätburgunder, Müller-Thurgau
• Live music in the festival tent and town center
• Open Sundays for shopping in the town center

The Two-Weekend Structure

A special feature of the Mathaisemarkt is its two-part structure: The main festival week runs from March 13 to 17, 2026, with the grand parade Sunday on March 15th. A second festival phase follows from March 20 to 22, 2026, the so-called "Bockfreitag" weekend, which marks the end of the market. This means the market extends over a total of ten festival days.

Bergstraße Wines at the Core

The Badische Bergstraße is one of Germany's northernmost and smallest wine-growing regions. Riesling, Spätburgunder, Müller-Thurgau, and Weißburgunder grow on the sun-drenched slopes on the edge of the Rhine plain. Wineries from Schriesheim, Heidelberg-Schlierbach, Bensheim, and Heppenheim present themselves at the Mathaisemarkt – anyone looking for an overview of Bergstraße wine culture will find it here.

Schriesheim — Wine Town on the Bergstraße

The town of Schriesheim (~15,000 inhabitants) is located directly on the Bergstraße, that traditional connecting road between Heidelberg and Darmstadt. Due to the early almond blossoms, the Bergstraße is known as "Germany's Spring Walk." Visitors to the Mathaisemarkt can combine their stay with a hike through the Schriesheim vineyards or a trip to Heidelberg (~15 km).