Wendische Fastnacht Byhleguhre

Zapust — the Sorbian-Wendish Carnival

The Wendische Fastnacht (Sorbian: Zapust) is the most important traditional festival for the Sorbian-Wendish population in the Lower Lusatian Spreewald. Unlike the Rhenish carnival, Zapust focuses on traditional costumes, dance, and the traditional Zampern — a festive procession of costumed revelers through the village, with music, short performances, and symbolic money collections at the doors. In Byhleguhre (Sorbian Běła Góra), this custom has been maintained for over 135 years without interruption — a true rarity, even in the Spreewald.

Weekend Program

The festival weekend traditionally begins on Friday with a small kickoff event at the community hall. The main event on Saturday starts with the Zampern: a group of young men and women in Spreewald costume goes from house to house, collecting eggs, bacon, and money, which is later spent on musical highlights. In the evening, the big dance with the band Elektra 68 takes place on the Lindengartenplatz — the band is a cult favorite in the Lower Lusatian carnival scene.

Costume Parade and Dance on Sunday

The highlight is Sunday: after lunch, the costume parade forms — a procession in full Spreewald festive attire through the village. The black-red-white embroidered festive garments, the elaborate headdresses, the hand-woven aprons — these are the visual hallmarks of Sorbian identity. This is followed by folk dancing on the Lindengartenplatz, which lasts until the late evening.

Byhleguhre and the Spreewald

Byhleguhre-Byhlen is a municipality in the Dahme-Spreewald district, with just under 700 inhabitants, located on the southern edge of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Spreewald. The village is bilingual German-Lower Sorbian — street signs, village entrance signs, and many club names appear in both languages. The Wendische Fastnacht here is not a tourist folklore show, but living tradition: supported by the local traditions association and the Sorbian-Wendish community. The festival is managed jointly with the tourist information office Amt Lieberose/Oberspreewald.