Sennfeld Peace Festival

A Festival of Peace since 1649

The Sennfeld Peace Festival dates back to 1649. It commemorates the re-attainment of imperial immediacy and the right to free Protestant worship after the end of the Thirty Years' War and the Peace of Westphalia. The tradition began with "singing, making music, preaching, and dancing" to give thanks for peace and regained independence.

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Since 2016, the Sennfeld Peace Festival has been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage – in the category "Social practices, rituals and festive events". It preserves values such as freedom, faith, justice, and civic responsibility that have shaped the once imperial-free village since the Middle Ages.

The Traditional Festival Program

The festival spans several days around the first Sunday in September. On Saturday, a pine tree about 30 meters high is erected by hand in front of the parish church. On Sunday, a church service, the "Planrede", and the "Plantanz" with waltzes, Rheinländer, Schottische, and Franconian dances follow. From Monday to Tuesday, dancing continues in festive attire, and "Ständele" (serenades) are performed at the residents' houses. The following Sunday, the "Nachkirchweih" concludes the festival.

Connected with Gochsheim

The neighboring town of Gochsheim celebrates an almost identical peace festival at the same time. The main difference: In Gochsheim, a special "Kirchweihkuchen" (festival cake) is publicly presented by young men, and the Franconian festive attire is not customary there. Both festivals foster community identity and bring former residents back to the village.

Sennfeld near Schweinfurt

Sennfeld is located in the Schweinfurt district in Lower Franconia, directly on the Main River. As a formerly imperial-free village, it has preserved its special character over centuries. The Peace Festival is its most important cultural event – a living piece of German peace history, comparable only to the Augsburg Peace Festival.