St. Johann Year and Wine Market

The St. Johann Year and Wine Market has been held annually since 1980, making it one of the long-standing, firmly established festivals in the Sprendlingen-Gensingen association. St. Johann, which gives the event its name, is a historic district of the municipality of Gensingen in western Rheinhessen, located in the transition area to the Nahe region.

The date is traditionally the weekend after St. John's Day (June 24th), the feast day of John the Baptist, to whom the place name refers. This calendar anchor has been part of the village identity for centuries and is celebrated annually with the market.

The concept combines three elements: a folk market with stalls for household goods, clothing, crafts, and sweets; a wine market featuring vintners from St. Johann, Gensingen, and the wider association; and a village festival with a stage program, catering by local associations, and a medieval setting that refers to the old market history.

The focus of the tasting is on regional wines: Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Rosé wines from the participating vintners. The catering is complemented by classic folk festival foods: Bratwurst, steaks, Flammkuchen, Spundekäs, Handkäs with music. Stage programs with live music, club performances, and occasional medieval show elements complete the picture.

The St. Johann Year and Wine Market is a typical Rheinhessen village festival with an additional market character and a long, continuously maintained tradition. It represents the close connection between wine culture, club life, and market history in a historically shaped district.