Weingass' and Rhein in Flammen Sankt Goarshausen

Rhine in Flames is the collective name for five grand fireworks spectacles along the Middle Rhine between Bonn and Bingen, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every summer. The edition between St. Goar and St. Goarshausen is considered the most spectacular of the five — over sixty years of tradition, fifty illuminated passenger ships in convoy on the Rhine, and fireworks launched simultaneously from two castles: Rheinfels Castle (left bank, above St. Goar) and Katz Castle (right bank, above St. Goarshausen).

On the St. Goarshausen side, the Weingass' festival complements the pyro spectacle with a lively wine festival. The picturesque Weingasse, a narrow alley in the historic town center right on the Rhine promenade, is the venue: winemakers from the steep slopes of the Middle Rhine — the vineyard sites of the Loreley and the opposite rock formations — serve Riesling, Pinot Noir, and their cuvées. A wine fountain in the center provides the namesake trademark.

The festival begins in the late afternoon and builds continuously. Live music on several stages accompanies the hours leading up to the fireworks. Around 10:15 PM (usual time), the pyro sequence starts in St. Goar — fireworks from Rheinfels Castle, from the slope above St. Goarshausen, and synchronously on the fifty illuminated ships moving downstream on the Rhine. Katz and Rheinfels castles are illuminated with Bengal lights. The spectacle lasts about 30–45 minutes and extends over several kilometers of the Rhine.

After the fireworks, the Weingass' festival in the Loreley town continues with music and wine late into the night. The visitor numbers are enormous — up to 250,000 people come to this Rhine in Flames edition on both banks.