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Fairground stalls and crowds under big trees at the Erlanger Bergkirchweih
Janericloebe, Public domain

Erlanger Bergkirchweih

Erlangen’s twelve-day beer festival in the Keller of the Burgberg, 13 to 24 May 2027: Festmärzenbier, Rauchbier, table bookings and rules.

At a glance

  • Twelve days on the Burgberg, from Thursday 13 to Monday 24 May 2027
  • Called the oldest beer festival in the world by the Erlangen tourist office
  • Festmärzenbier from stone mugs, poured in the hillside Keller
  • The only Rauchbier on the Berg, at the Goldmann Keller
  • About one million visitors a year, according to the tourist office
  • Backpacks and large bags are banned on the grounds

The 2027 edition, day by day

  1. Thu13May
  2. Fri14May
  3. Sat15May
  4. Sun16May
  5. Mon17May
  6. Tue18May
  7. Wed19May
  8. Thu20May
  9. Fri21May
  10. Sat22May
  11. Sun23May
  12. Mon24May

Weekend · 12 days · Dates announced

How the festival runs

What to taste

  • Festmärzenbier

    The festival beer, served cool from stone mugs (steinerne Krüge) in the Keller.

  • Rauchbier (smoked beer)

    Brewed with smoked malt, and poured on the Berg only at the Goldmann Keller.

  • Steinbach beer

    The Steinbach Keller has poured its own brewery’s beer on the Berg again since 1997.

  • Haxn (pork knuckle)

    The speciality of the Hax*n Liebermann stand, number 9 on the city’s list of stands.

  • Fish specialities

    From Hellbergs, a fish delicatessen, at stand 21.

  • Lángos

    Fried Hungarian flatbread at Dölle’s Langos-Hütte, a vegetarian stand.

The Erlanger Bergkirchweih is a beer festival held on a hill: its beer is poured in the Keller, the old beer cellars dug into the Burgberg on the north side of Erlangen, and in the beer gardens in front of them. Locals call it the Berg. The City of Erlangen organises it, through the department in charge of markets and Kirchweih fairs, and has published the 2027 dates: from 13 to 24 May 2027.

The Erlanger Bergkirchweih, a beer festival at Pentecost

The Berg is tied to the church calendar rather than a fixed date. It opens on the Thursday before Pentecost, when the mayor taps the first barrel at 5 pm sharp at the Henninger Keller, and it closes twelve days later.

  1. The tapping: Thursday 13 May 2027, 5 pm, at the Henninger Keller.
  2. Pentecost weekend: the festival’s first weekend.
  3. The close: Monday 24 May 2027, the twelfth day.

In 2026 the city announced that the Bergkirchweih had been officially recognised as intangible cultural heritage.

A Whitsun market moved up the hill in 1755

On 21 April 1755 the councillors of Erlangen’s Altstadt, the old town, decided to move the traditional Pentecost market from the old town up to the Burgberg: the Erlanger Bergkirchweih was born. The 2026 festival was the 271st.

  • The setting: old chestnut trees hung with lanterns, above the cellars.
  • The extra holiday: around 1750, a “third day of Pentecost” was added for the bird or king shooting at the Altstädter Schießhaus, and it has stayed a holiday in Erlangen ever since.

Festmärzenbier and the Keller

Each Keller has its own character, and the table of Keller sets them side by side.

The tourist office sums up the menu: cool Festmärzenbier from stone mugs, Franconian specialities and dishes from around the world.

Before you go

  • Tables: several Keller take reservations directly, by their own link, phone or e-mail, listed on the city’s site.
  • Teenagers: under-16s without an adult must leave for home at 10 pm.
  • Buses: free inside the city-centre zone since 1 January 2024, no ticket needed.
  • Entry: the city’s pages read on 14 October 2026 do not state an admission policy.

Keller on the Burgberg and what sets them apart

KellerTable bookingWorth knowing
HenningerYesSite of the first tapping, tunnel of 861 metres, the longest beer cellar in Erlangen
Goldmannn/aThe only Rauchbier on the Berg
SteinbachYesOwn brewery pouring on the Berg again since 1997
Entlas, Altstädter Schießhaus, Erich, Hübners, HofbräuYesn/a

Source: City of Erlangen, list of the Keller of the Bergkirchweih (read on 14 October 2026).

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Frequently asked questions

When is the Bergkirchweih 2027?

From Thursday 13 to Monday 24 May 2027, dates published by the City of Erlangen. The 2026 edition ran from 21 May to 1 June.

When is the first barrel tapped at the Bergkirchweih?

At 5 pm on the Thursday before Pentecost, at the Henninger Keller: 13 May in 2027.

Can you reserve a table at the Bergkirchweih?

Yes, with the Keller themselves. The city lists the participating Keller and how to book each one.

Can you bring a backpack to the Bergkirchweih?

No. Backpacks and large bags are banned on the grounds, as are your own alcohol and glass bottles.

How many people go to the Bergkirchweih?

About one million visitors a year, according to the Erlangen tourist office.

Is the Bergkirchweih the oldest beer festival in the world?

That is how the Erlangen tourist office presents it. In 2026 the festival was officially recognised as intangible cultural heritage, according to the city.

Sources

  • City of Erlangen: Bergkirchweih (2027 dates) consulted on October 14, 2026
  • City of Erlangen: the Keller of the Bergkirchweih (table bookings, Rauchbier, Henninger tunnel) consulted on October 14, 2026
  • Erlangen tourist office: Bergkirchweih (visitors, tapping, beer burial, organiser) consulted on October 14, 2026
  • City of Erlangen: rides and stands consulted on October 14, 2026
  • City of Erlangen: visitor information (bags, bottles, young people) consulted on October 14, 2026
  • City of Erlangen: Bergkirchweih 2026 (intangible cultural heritage) consulted on October 14, 2026
  • City of Erlangen: free buses in the city centre consulted on October 14, 2026

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