Simon-Judä-Dult Wolnzach

Hopfenland Celebrates Itself

Wolnzach, in the Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm district, is the center of the Hallertau, the world's largest contiguous hop-growing region. This is where hops for Bavarian beer are grown, where the German Hop Museum is located, and where the Simon-Judä-Dult is celebrated every year – a traditional autumn market whose roots lie in the medieval market rights granted to the market town of Wolnzach.

Market Square, Marienplatz, and Town Center

The market extends across the Marktplatz (market square) and Marienplatz – the town center is completely closed to traffic. Vendors and retailers from Wolnzach, the Hallertau, and sometimes from neighboring Lower Bavaria present their wares:

• Handwritten decorative signs on the theme of beer
• Hop-themed decorative pictures and gifts
• Bee products: honey, beeswax candles, skin care
• Handmade gift ideas
• Autumn decorations for home and garden
• Hop and enjoyment market with regional products

Sunday Shopping from 1 PM to 5 PM

A special feature of the Simon-Judä-Dult is the parallel Sunday shopping: local businesses and specialist retailers open their doors from 1 PM to 5 PM, allowing market visits and town center shopping to be seamlessly combined. This synergy makes the day the busiest market day of the year in Wolnzach.

Accompanying Program

Traditionally, other program items take place alongside the Dult:

• Exhibitions by local artists in the Rathaus-Keller (town hall cellar)
• Coffee and cake at KDFB-Wolnzach (Catholic German Women's Association)
• "Women's Power & Men's Strength" – a fair in the Volksfesthalle (festival hall) with topics such as lifestyle, crafts, and health
• Culinary offerings from Wolnzach gastronomy

Simon and Jude – The Patronage

The market day is dedicated to the two apostles Simon and Jude Thaddaeus (feast day in the Catholic calendar is October 28th). In the Franconian-Alt-Bavarian region, there are numerous "Simon-Judä-Dulten" – church patron markets that have often been held since the Middle Ages. The Wolnzach Dult is one of the most vibrant of these traditions.

Wolnzach – Market Rights Since the 15th Century

The market town of Wolnzach (around 11,000 inhabitants) belongs to the Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm district in the Upper Bavaria administrative region. The municipality holds the status of a "market" with established historical market rights. Beyond the Simon-Judä-Dult, beer festivals, the Hopfenfest (hop festival), and the tradition of hop pickers shape the year.