Festivals
all year round

People from Baden-Württemberg are renowned for their sense of tradition, down-to-earth attitude and close ties with nature and their homeland. These were the findings of a recently published survey commissioned by the tourist association. However, this mainly applies to their close and closest surroundings. So it is no wonder that up and down the region, most people attend village and community festivals, the inauguration of the local re brigade or the new wine press.

Celebrating in grand style is not without tradition though, either. In the state capital the festival season begins with the Stuttgart spring fun fair on the Wasen. The Hamburg Fish Market around Karlsplatz also goes back more than 20 years. In August, the white marquees, balmy squares, cool drinks and hot music of the summer festival form a further attraction. Over the five days, more than half a million visitors flock to the Eckensee. And at the Stuttgart Weindorf you can sample the delicious wines from grapes grown in the vineyards around Stuttgart. However, the most famous festival is without doubt the Cannstatt fun fair around the 26 metre column of fruit weighing up to three tons. The Cannstatt fun fair is almost 130 years old and one of the world’s loveliest and largest fun fairs. The festival season ends in Advent with the atmospheric sea of colourful lights at the Christmas market.

Enjoying a good party is not only reserved for the capital. The ‘Narrensprung’ in Rottweil is regarded as one of the cradles of the Swabian-Alemannic carnival tradition. The Markgröninger ‘Schäferlauf’ is also deeply rooted in the past. This historic barefoot run over 300 m of stubble eld has been held annually since 1651 around St. Bartholemew’s Day on the 24th of August in honour of the patron saint of shepherds. The pumpkin festival in full-blown Baroque Ludwigsburg is of a much younger date, but nonetheless boasts the world’s largest pumpkin show, where visitors can marvel at up to 500,000 pumpkins. Every two years, fans of vintage airplanes meet up at Hahnweide unter der Teck. The star of the show is the grand old lady of vintage airplanes, the JU 52, which flies thrilled visitors over the Swabian Alb as far as Stuttgart in a round trip.
And who could forget the river jousting in Ulm and chocolART, which has been attracting chocolate lovers and connoisseurs to Tübingen for many years. Visitors come from far and near to the stallion parade in Marbach. Another attraction is the annual festival at Lake Constance. Deep blue water and gently lapping waves – the night-time festival on Lake Constance has chosen a very charming backdrop for its festival venue.