Speyerdorfer Wein- und Froschkerwe

The Speyerdorfer Wein- und Froschkerwe is one of the oldest and best-known Kerwen (traditional festivals) of the Palatinate wine village Lachen-Speyerdorf, the largest in area of Neustadt's eight wine villages. It opens the series of Palatinate Kerwen each year with one of the earliest dates — almost always before the beginning of May.

In 2026, the festival will take place from Friday, April 24th to Tuesday, April 28th. The center of the festivities is the Froschbrunnen (Frog Fountain) at Lilienthalstraße 32 — a typical landmark of Lachen-Speyerdorf and the scene of many festival rituals.

The festival kicks off on Friday, April 24th, traditionally with the Kerwe parade starting at 6:15 PM through the wine village, followed by the official Kerwe opening ceremony at 7:00 PM at the Frog Fountain. The Kerwerede (Kerwe speech) by the Kerwepfarrer (Kerwe pastor) — a mockingly satirical address that skewers local politics and village stories from the past year — is one of the unique highlights.

On Saturday, the Froschkonzert (Frog Concert) is on the program, a humorous musical event related to the village's frog motif. On Sunday, the Entenrennen (Duck Race) offers fun for the whole family: hundreds of numbered plastic ducks are released into the nearby stream and race to the finish line — with attractive prizes for the first-placed "duck sponsors." On Monday, the Kerwi-Verlosung (Kerwi raffle) concludes the festival days.

On all festival days, the Lachen-Speyerdorf vintners serve their wines — mainly Riesling, Weißburgunder, and full-bodied rosé wines — directly at the festival grounds. Hearty Palatinate specialties such as Saumagen (stuffed pig's stomach), Bratwurst (fried sausage), Leberknödel (liver dumplings), and Flammkuchen (a type of flatbread) are also available. The family-friendly atmosphere of this early spring Kerwe makes it a favorite among local festival-goers and Palatinate connoisseurs.