Wippertusfest Kölleda

A City Festival with its Own Saint

The Wippertusfest is unique among Thuringian city festivals: it honours its own patron saint. Wippertus was an Irish-Scottish travelling monk in the 7th century who, according to medieval tradition, worked in this area and was considered the founder of the region in popular piety. To this day, the historic market square bears his name, and at the beginning of June — the weekend after Ascension Day — Kölleda celebrates its largest city festival for five days.

Five Days of Festival Week in May/June

The festival weekend traditionally begins on Thursday — Ascension Day — and lasts until Whit Monday. In 2026, these are the days from May 28 (Thursday) to June 1 (Whit Monday). Over five days, there will be stage programmes, a historical market, showmen, and market stalls. Regional and national bands perform on the stages — from folk bands to cover bands, with dance events in the evening.

Timbersports Show as a Trademark

The most spectacular trademark of the Wippertusfest are the Timbersports shows on the historical market square on Saturday: four wood-chopping demonstrations where athletes compete against the clock with axe and saw. Hot Saw, Single Buck, Underhand Chop — the international disciplines of professional wood chopping are demonstrated live, often with athletes from the German national team.

Carriage Rides Through the Pfefferminzregion

Kölleda is located in the heart of Thuringia's historical Pfefferminzregion (Peppermint Region) — the cultivation area for the famous Thuringian peppermint. During the Wippertusfest, you can take classic horse-drawn carriage rides through the surrounding fields and villages — a specialty that connects the festival with the region's agricultural identity. The rides start and end in the festival centre.

Street Music, Flea Market, and Peppermint Princess

The programme is complemented by street music in the side streets, a large flea market on Sunday, and appearances by the Pfefferminzprinzessin (Peppermint Princess). The latter is the representative of the Pfefferminzregion — usually a young woman from Kölleda or the surrounding area who represents the region's peppermint aroma in festival parades. The Peppermint Princess is also present at the festival opening and performs symbolic functions such as cutting the festival cake.

Kölleda in the Sömmerda District

Kölleda, with its approximately 6,000 inhabitants, is located in the state of Thuringia, in the Sömmerda district, in the fertile Thuringian Basin. The town has a history of over 800 years. Visitors coming for the Wippertusfest can easily combine their trip with visits to Sömmerda, Weimar, and Erfurt — all within a 20-40 minute train ride.