Schul- und Heimatfest Jessen (Elster)
One of the oldest local festivals in Saxony-Anhalt, featuring the Jessen Wine Festival
About Heimatfest Jessen
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188 Years of Tradition in the Elsteraue
Jessen (Elster) is located in the Wittenberg district in the north of Saxony-Anhalt, on the Schwarze Elster river. With around 13,000 inhabitants, Jessen is one of the smaller towns in the state – but its School and Local Festival is one of the oldest and most traditional local festivals in Central Germany. The 188th edition in 2026 continues a series that dates back to the early 19th century: at that time, teachers and students of the Jessen school organized a joint summer festival, from which today's major city event has evolved.
What has sustained the eleven days of festivities for over a century and a half is the fusion of two festival formats: the school festival with a parade, children's programs, and an educational celebration character – and the local festival as a folk festival with a fairground, live music, and gastronomy. For decades, a third element has been added: the Jessen Wine Festival, which establishes the connection to the Saale-Unstrut wine tradition and sets its own highlight with the crowning of the Jessen Wine Princess.
Eleven Days, Three Focuses
The program has been structured similarly for generations: opening evening, castle concert with classical music in a historic setting, parade on Sunday with floats, traditional costume groups, and school bands, wine festival as the social highlight with wine, dancing, and crowning ceremony, children's festival, marquee evenings with regional headliners, and a Schlager evening, morning pint on Sunday morning. The Grand Fairground with a Ferris wheel, carousel, shooting gallery, and food stalls operates throughout the entire festival week.
Jessen, Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt
Anyone visiting Jessen is in the southeastern part of Saxony-Anhalt, not far from the border with Brandenburg. The Lutherstadt Wittenberg is just under 30 km to the west, and the Spreewald (Brandenburg) is just under an hour to the east. In summer, the School and Local Festival is the biggest event for miles around.
Heimatfest Jessen — edition 2026
The Jessen School and Local Festival Association e.V. has been organizing the festival week for decades. The 2026 program will be published in spring; based on experience, the structure remains constant: an opening evening, the castle concert with a classical ensemble, the grand Sunday parade with traditional costume and club groups, the Jessen Wine Festival with the festive crowning of the Wine Princess, a Schlager evening with a regionally renowned headliner, and the closing with a family day, tea dance, and rides at the Grand Fairground.
Programme Heimatfest Jessen 2026
Setup Week (Pre-Evenings)
- Final touches on the Grand Fairground with Ferris wheel, carousel, and rides
Festival Week (typical structure, based on 2025 edition)
- Opening Evening: Welcome by the association's board and mayor, opening concert
- Castle Concert: Classical music under the open sky in the Jessen castle park
- Jessen Wine Festival: central highlight with wine tasting, live music, and the festive crowning of the Jessen Wine Princess
- Children's Festival: Hands-on activities, craft and game stations for children
- Schlager Evening: Headliner performance in the festival marquee (in past years, incl. Anna-Maria Zimmermann)
- Cover Bands: Tribute bands (in past years, incl. MerQury – Queen Tribute)
- Grand Parade on Sunday: Floats from schools, clubs, businesses, and local districts
- Morning Pint: Sunday brass music with bratwurst and beer
Note
The complete program and all headliner announcements will be published by the Local Festival Association in spring 2026 at heimatfest-jessen.de.
Highlights Heimatfest Jessen 2026
Prices Heimatfest Jessen 2026
Practical information — Heimatfest Jessen
Getting There
Jessen (Elster) train station is on the Lutherstadt Wittenberg–Falkenberg line. Approx. 10 minutes' walk from the station to the market square and festival grounds. Parking available on the outskirts of town.
Admission
Admission to the festival grounds and the parade is free. Individual events such as the castle concert and headliner evenings in the marquee require tickets.
On Site
Festival marquee in the castle park, Grand Fairground with rides, Market square with stages. Accommodation in Jessen is limited – book early or in Wittenberg.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place Heimatfest Jessen
Innenstadt Jessen mit Festplatz und Schloss
Markt 23, 06917 Jessen (Elster)