Weinböhlaer Winzerstraßenfest

Every year on the first weekend of September, Weinböhla celebrates its Winzerstraßenfest — and not on a festival ground but in the decorated courtyards around the church square and St Martin’s church. Visitors stroll from courtyard to courtyard, get the wine poured straight from the winemaker and hear different music in every yard. The whole thing is carried by the Fest- und Heimatverein Weinböhla.

It opens on Friday at 5 pm when the mayor and the reigning Saxon wine royalty tap the first barrel. Then three days of programme follow: winemakers from Saxony and other German wine regions, live music on stages and in the courtyards, choirs, traders, street food. Behind the Zentralgasthof stands the funfair with its rides, and the meadow behind the Nassauhalle turns into a fairground.

Add the traditions you rarely find elsewhere: handcart races, Vogelschießen, a lantern parade. On Sunday evening the festival closes with a large fireworks display.

Good to know

• It is about 15 minutes by car from Radebeul; by public transport, get out at Weinböhla Haltepunkt or Rathausstraße.
• Friday starts in the late afternoon, Saturday and Sunday at midday — Sunday winds down earlier.
• The courtyards are narrow and well visited. For something calmer, come on Sunday afternoon.
• The festival suits families: children’s programme, funfair and the parade are all part of it.

Programme and dates: weinboehla.de.