Vlotho Wine Festival

When Vlotho's City Center Becomes a Wine Mile

If you think winemaking is only found along the Rhine and Mosel, you don't know Vlotho yet. While the grapes don't grow here – for one weekend in June, Sommerfelder Platz in the city center fills with winemakers from Germany's major wine regions, and the small town on the Weser bend becomes a wine region for 24 hours. The next edition of the Vlotho Wine Festival will take place from June 5 to 6, 2026.

The Winemakers and Their Wines

The Vlotho Wine Festival focuses on quality over quantity. Expected are:

• Winemakers from the Nahe region – the region known for its mineralic Rieslings and powerful Pinot Noirs
• Winemakers from the Mosel Valley – classic Rieslings, often with characteristic slate notes
• Vlotho Wine Merchant Schmidt – the local specialist who co-founded the festival and participates with his own selection from across German wine regions

At the stalls, you can taste and buy by the glass: Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Rosé, and selected sparkling wines. The winemakers offer direct advice at their stands – a relaxed form of wine tasting, without the stiff character of formal tasting evenings.

Music and Culinary Delights

Accompanying the wine, a small stage features DJ music with a focus on easy listening, soul, jazz, and Italo-pop – the perfect soundscape for enjoying wine. Culinary offerings include tarte flambée stands (a classic pairing with Riesling), grilled specialties, vegetarian options, cheese platters, and a bread stand. This transforms the event into more than just a wine tasting – it's a summer feast in the heart of the city.

The Festival That Replaced the City Festival

Until a few years ago, Vlotho had a classic Stadtfest (city festival) with a beer tent, live music, carousels, and bratwurst stands. The format was no longer working – visitor numbers were declining, and the profile was generic. Vlotho Marketing GmbH dared to make a strategic shift: away from an "all-inclusive" city festival towards a focused wine festival with a sophisticated appeal and a clear target audience. The strategy paid off – the wine festival is now the summer highlight of Vlotho's city center.

Vlotho – Town on the Weser Bend

Vlotho is located on the Weser bend between Bad Oeynhausen and Rinteln, in the Herford district. With just under 20,000 inhabitants, it's a typical small town in Ostwestfalen – compact, historic (Vlotho Castle), situated on a beautiful river. The wine festival fits into a tradition of smaller cultural and culinary events used to liven up the city center.