Wasseralfingen Festival Days

Wasseralfingen — Mining Heritage and District Identity

Wasseralfingen has been a district of the city of Aalen in the Ostalbkreis since 1975, but it has retained its independent identity — shaped by historical iron ore mining: Here, the Schwäbische Hüttenwerke (SHW) mined iron ore from the 17th century onwards, and the SHW shaped the life of the district for generations. The SHW-Bergkapelle, a traditional miners' choir, plays a central role at the Wasseralfingen Festival Days and represents the historical mining identity that is still alive in many families of the district.

2026 Program — June 26 to 28

The 2026 edition runs from Friday, June 26 to Sunday, June 28, 2026 in the Wasseralfingen town center — Stefansplatz and Wilhelmstrasse as the main axes. The organizer is the Stadtverband für Sport und Kultur Wasseralfingen (District Association for Sport and Culture Wasseralfingen) in cooperation with the city of Aalen and several clubs from the district.

Program highlights (based on previous years):

• Live music on several stages at Stefansplatz and in Wilhelmstrasse — from cover bands and big bands to folk music and Schlager
• Show dances and acrobatics — performances by regional dance schools and acrobatics groups
• Street artists — performances, mime, stilt walkers, musicians
• Art and readings — exhibitions by local artists, readings
• Children's festival with games, face painting, bouncy castles
• SHW-Bergkapelle — highlight of the traditional program segment

The SHW-Bergkapelle and its Evening Serenade

What makes the Wasseralfingen Festival Days special among the many district festivals in Southern Germany is the central role of the SHW-Bergkapelle. This traditional miners' choir preserves the musical heritage of Wasseralfingen's iron ore mining and performs on Sunday morning with a morning concert, and on Sunday evening at 10:00 PM with the Abendserenade (Evening Serenade) — an atmospheric closing act where the miners' band, in historical costume, plays traditional miners' songs. The Evening Serenade is considered the most emotional moment of the festival weekend and attracts thousands to Stefansplatz every year.

Ecumenical Service and Frühschoppen

Sunday, June 28 opens with an ecumenical service (typically outdoors on Stefansplatz), followed by a Frühschoppen with the SHW-Bergkapelle. This part of the program combines the religious tradition of Southern Germany with festival culture and is a fixed date in the summer for many Wasseralfingen residents.

From Sand Square to District Festival

The Wasseralfingen Festival Days date back to the autumn of 1972, when the first Oktoberfest was celebrated on the Sandplatz im Spiesel. In 1987, the festival was moved to the town center at Stefansplatz — visitor numbers exploded, and the festival became an established institution. Since 2016, the District Association for Sport and Culture has organized the event together with the Wasseralfingen local authority. In 2023, the festival celebrated its 50th anniversary — and today, alongside the Reichsstädter Tage, it is the most important city festival in the Aalen region.