Erlangen Mountain Church FairErlanger Bergkirchweih
Erlangen, Middle Franconia, Germany
Save this celebration to keep it in your plan.
🎟 Free entry
FestivalAtlas
Erlangen's Bergkirchweih is a ten-day folk festival held annually on the Erlangen Burgberg (castle hill) from Ascension Thursday through Pentecost Monday 1. Dating back to 1755, it is one of the world's oldest beer festivals and a cornerstone of Franconian culture 2. The city’s cellars (beer gardens) open under chestnut trees with lanterns; visitors enjoy Mai Bock beers in stone mugs, brass band music, carnival rides and traditional dances. A highlight is the mayor’s official tapping of the first barrel on opening evening. The festival concludes with a traditional 'beerground funeral', bidding farewell to the Bergkirchweih 3.
Originally a religious Whitsun market moved to the Berg (hill) in 1755 1, it evolved into a secular celebration blending Erlangen’s beer-brewing heritage (it has many breweries) with local Franconian customs. By Pentecost, the town unites under the slogan 'Der Berg ruft' (“The mountain is calling”), and nearly every Erlangen resident participates in the festivities as a defining part of communal identity. 2
Venues and routes
Burgberg (castle hill) Erlangen · Erlangen
The dates that shape the visit.
Thu, Jun 5
Crowds gather at 5 PM on opening day to cheer the mayor as he taps the first keg at the historic Henninger Keller beer cellars.
Sun, Jun 15
Families can attend an open-air church service (often in traditional dress) at the Erich Keller as part of the fair’s community observances.
Mon, Jun 16
At closing time on the final day, revelers line the park as hosts in costumes symbolically bury the last keg, waving white handkerchiefs and singing a farewell.
A compact reference once the trip is real.
Very high crowds