Sommergewinn Eisenach

Spring triumphs over winter – for centuries

The Sommergewinn is one of Germany's oldest and best-known spring festivals. In Eisenach, at the foot of the Wartburg Castle, the tradition is cherished with particular devotion: in 2014, it was added to the national register of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. At its heart is a symbolic representation – the dispute between summer and winter, passed down since the Middle Ages, which is re-enacted every year in Eisenach three weeks before Easter in the market square.

From the torchlight procession to the grand parade

The festival traditionally begins on Friday evening with the atmospheric torchlight procession. The highlight is the grand parade on Saturday afternoon, which leads from Georgentor to the market square – with over 1,200 participants, more than forty walking groups, ten bands and drum corps, and around forty floats and carriages. In the market square, in front of tens of thousands of spectators, winter is symbolically driven out and summer is welcomed.

Folk festival on the Spicke fairgrounds

Parallel to the traditional festival program, the Spicke fairgrounds transform into a nine-day folk festival with rides, game stalls, show gastronomy, and an extensive children's program. A fireworks display shortly before the end of the festival provides a spectacular finale over the Wartburg town.

Eisenach – Wartburg town in the Wartburg district

Eisenach is located in western Thuringia, in the Wartburgkreis district, and is primarily known for the Wartburg Castle (UNESCO World Heritage) and the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Sommergewinn complements this cultural landscape with a vibrant traditional custom that connects generations and attracts thousands of guests from all over Germany.