St. Leonhardsfest Stödtlen
Four days of Volksfest in the Virngrund with its own Rotochsenfestbier
2026
About Leonhardsfest
Leonhardsfest — edition 2026
St. Leonhardsfest 2026 — Four-Day Virngrund Volksfest
In 2026, Stödtlen will again open its festival grounds on the third weekend of August for the traditional Leonhardsfest. For four days, the specially brewed Rotochsenfestbier (5.3%) will flow, roast mutton will be featured in the festival kitchen, and live music will set the tone every evening.
The festival opens on Friday, August 15th, at 7:30 PM with a beer tasting and ceremonial tapping — on the opening day, a liter will be served at the special price of €4.80. The festival committee of the municipality of Stödtlen organizes the event with the local clubs.
Highlights Leonhardsfest 2026
- Specially brewed Rotochsenfestbier (5.3%, maltier and darker) — liter €4.80 on opening day
- Traditional roast mutton from a warm kitchen
- Live music for four days: Virngrund-Musikanten, Aberland Casanovas, Musikverein Röhlingen, SBS Quintett
- Festival church service on Sunday honoring Saint Leonard
- Concluding fireworks display on Monday evening
- ~10,000 visitors — one of the largest Virngrund festivals
Programme Leonhardsfest 2026
Festival Program 2026 — Four Days
- Friday, August 15th: 7:30 PM Beer tasting and tapping (liter at special price €4.80), followed by live music with the Virngrund-Musikanten
- Saturday, August 16th: Card tournament, family program, live music in the evening with the Aberland Casanovas
- Sunday, August 17th: Festival church service honoring Saint Leonard, followed by a morning pint, live music in the evening with the Virngrund-Musikanten
- Monday, August 18th: Festival finale with the Musikverein Röhlingen and the SBS Quintett, concluding fireworks display in the evening
The detailed program for 2026 will be published shortly before the festival by the festival committee of the municipality of Stödtlen.
Prices Leonhardsfest 2026
Free admission. Liter of Rotochsenfestbier on opening day €4.80, festival price thereafter. Roast mutton and grilled dishes at the club stands.
Practical information — Leonhardsfest
Getting There
Train: Nearest train station is Ellwangen (Jagst), from there take a bus or taxi (~15 km) to Stödtlen.
Car: A7 exit Aalen/Westhausen, continue via B290 and L1060 to Stödtlen. Ample parking at the festival grounds.
Address: Festgelände Stödtlen, 73495 Stödtlen.
Date 2026
Friday, August 15th — Monday, August 18th, 2026 (third weekend in August).
Admission
Free admission. Food and drinks at the club stands. On the opening day, a liter of Rotochsenfestbier costs €4.80.
Organizer
Municipality of Stödtlen with festival committee and local clubs (music association, sports club, fire department, rural women's association).
St. Leonhardsfest Stödtlen — the Volksfest of the Virngrund
The St. Leonhardsfest in Stödtlen is one of the largest and most traditional village festivals in the Württemberg Virngrund (Ostalbkreis, Baden-Württemberg). Stödtlen is located in the northeast of the district, in the border area between Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The festival has been held for decades on the third weekend in August (Friday to Monday) and attracts around 10,000 visitors annually from the Ostalbkreis, northwestern Bavaria, and the entire region to Stödtlen.
The Rotochsenfestbier — a Special Festival Beer
A special feature of Stödtlen is the Rotochsenfestbier specially brewed for the Leonhardsfest: Since 2016, it has been created specifically for this festival with 5.3% alcohol content, is slightly maltier and darker than a normal Helles, and tastes according to festival beer tradition. On the opening day, a liter is offered at the opening price of €4.80 — a homage to the old festival prices.
The Culinary Highlights
In addition to the festival beer, roast mutton is the main feature of the festival cuisine — a tavern classic of the Virngrund, freshly prepared in a warm kitchen and served with potatoes and sauerkraut. Also, grilled dishes, Swabian snacks, and sweet specialties. Several club stands cook, pour, and serve simultaneously — supported by the festival committee of the municipality with the local clubs.
Music and Program
Live bands and music associations provide the atmosphere on all four days. Traditional regular guests include the Virngrund-Musikanten (Friday and Sunday), the Aberland Casanovas (Saturday), the Musikverein Röhlingen (Monday), and the SBS Quintett (festival finale). Sunday morning is dedicated to the solemn festival church service in honor of Saint Leonard, the patron saint of farmers and livestock. On Monday evening, there is a fireworks display to conclude the festival.
Stödtlen and the Virngrund
Stödtlen is a small Virngrund community with around 1,800 inhabitants in the northern Ostalbkreis, on the border with Bavaria. The municipality belongs to the Limes Straße — the Rhaetian Limes runs through the municipality, with remnants of the Roman border wall in the vicinity. The Leonhardsfest is by far the largest festival of the year and brings together villages from the surrounding area such as Röhlingen, Ellwangen, and Tannhausen.
Where it takes place Leonhardsfest
Leonhardsfest at a glance
History of Leonhardsfest
Edition 2025 Aug 2025Festivals similar to Leonhardsfest
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