Wine Festival Zons

Wine and History in a Fortified Town

Zons is one of the best-preserved medieval fortified towns on the Rhine. Founded in the 14th century by Cologne's Archbishop Friedrich III as a toll collection point, the entire old town has been a protected monument since 2014. The completely preserved town wall, the defensive towers, and the historic windmill form a unique backdrop for the wine festival.

Wines from Three Continents

Unlike many purely German wine festivals, the Zons festival focuses on international diversity. You can taste wines from German wine-growing regions – Mosel, Rheingau, Ahr – as well as Italian wines from Tuscany and Piedmont, and South African wines from Stellenbosch and Paarl. At the stands, vintners and importers provide information on grape varieties, cultivation, and production.

Culinary Delights and Atmosphere

To complement the wines, stands offer cheese, ham, and bread variations, tapas, antipasti, tarte flambée, and Mediterranean specialties. Live music accompanies the evenings, and on weekends, the cafés and restaurants in the old town are bustling. The festival does not have a folk festival character but a deliberately relaxed, Mediterranean ambiance.

Heimat- und Verkehrsverein Zons as Organizer

The HVV Zons has been organizing the festival for decades. It is simultaneously the guardian of Zons' local traditions and the driving force behind many other events: Matthäusmarkt in September, mill tours, light art walks. The program overview "Zons Aktuell 2026" lists all dates and is available from the association and at tourist information centers.

Zons as a Day Trip Destination on the Rhine

Zons is located in the Dormagen district, nestled between Düsseldorf and Cologne. Reachable in half an hour by S-Bahn and bus from both major cities, the fortified town is a popular excursion destination. The Rhine promenade invites you for a stroll, the district museum provides historical insights, and the mill is a sight in itself. During the wine festival, the entire town transforms into a wine mile.

Tradition and Modern Tourism

The wine festival combines historical ambiance with current wine trends. It is a meeting point for people from Düsseldorf and Cologne seeking a relaxed weekend getaway, as well as for residents of the Lower Rhine region from Neuss, Mönchengladbach, and Kleve who appreciate this nearby gourmet destination.