Next dates
2027 dates not yet announced — typically around June. We're watching and will update this page when they land.
Quick answer
Fränkisches Bierfest is a beer fest in Nürnberg, Bavaria. It runs from Jun 3–7, 2026. Europe's longest beer garden — Franconian breweries pour in Nuremberg's castle moat under the Kaiserburg.
Five days in Nuremberg's castle moat — ~47 Franconian breweries, live music, and free entry under the Kaiserburg.
The Fränkisches Bierfest turns the Burggraben beneath Nuremberg Castle into a dense walking tasting street — roughly 47–50 breweries, more than 100 beer varieties, five live-music stages, and about 22 food stands across five days. Leave the car — use VGN to Tiergärtnertor / Hallertor / Maxtor and walk in via the Vestnertorgraben.
The full story
The Fränkisches Bierfest turns Nuremberg's historic castle moat into a five-day walking tasting street for Franconian brewing, running Wednesday 3 June through Sunday 7 June 2026 in the Burggraben beneath the Kaiserburg. Roughly 47–50 breweries — from centuries-old family and monastery operations to newer craft producers, plus a handful of guest breweries from Belgium and the Czech Republic — pour more than 100 beers along the moat, with five stages of regional live music and about 22 food stands covering hearty, sweet, vegetarian, and vegan options. Grounds entry is free; visitors pay per beer and per dish as they move stand to stand. Hours run Wednesday 17:00–23:00, Thursday and Saturday 11:00–23:00, Friday 14:00–23:00, and Sunday 11:00–20:00 — noticeably earlier than the rest of the run.
The festival began small: a gathering of beverage stands on the nearby Insel Schütt in the late 1990s. From there it relocated to its current, more scenic Burggraben home and grew year over year into one of the region's best-known beer events. It's worth separating the festival's own age from the much older brewing culture it celebrates — Nuremberg's brewing history traces back to the early 1300s, one participating monastery brewery traces its own brewing to the 10th century, and another family brewery has operated continuously since 1663. None of that belongs to the festival's own, much younger history.
Public transit is the practical way in: VGN routes run to Tiergärtnertor, Hallertor, or Maxtor, a short walk from the Burggraben via Vestnertorgraben, and parking near the old-town moat is limited. The setting is atmospheric but sits below street level, so a layer and solid footwear for gravel paths are worth bringing even on a warm day. See the Fränkisches Bierfest page or explore Middle Franconia.
History
The Franken region of northern Bavaria is one of Germany's densest brewing regions, with hundreds of small breweries — some individually far older than this festival, including a monastery brewery with roots in the 10th century and a family brewery operating continuously since 1663. The Fränkisches Bierfest itself began as a small gathering of beverage stands on the nearby Insel Schütt in the late 1990s, before relocating to its current, more scenic home in the Burggraben beneath the Kaiserburg and growing into roughly 47–50 breweries and 100-plus beers today.
On Tap
- Local focus
- Franconian and guest breweries lined up along the Burggraben beneath Nuremberg Castle.
- What to try
- Small tasting pours from as many Franconian breweries as you can manage — this is a walking tasting street, not one-tent drinking.
- Food pairing
- Food stalls along the Graben — eat while you hop between brewery stands.
- Best for
- Beer explorers who want dozens of taps in one castle-side stroll.
- Bavaria On Tap take
- Take the VGN in — walk the Vestnertorgraben route and treat it like a five-day brewery crawl compressed into one venue.
Practical tips
The English-language details German fest pages usually skip.
- Nearest station
- Nürnberg Hbf → U2/U3 to Plärrer → tram 4/6 or bus 36 to Tiergärtnertor/Hallertor; or bus 37/46/47 to Maxtor then Vestnertorgraben
- From Munich
- About 1–1.25 hours by ICE/RE to Nürnberg Hbf, then U-Bahn/tram to the Kaiserburg / Tiergärtnertor area.
- Reservations
- Beer-garden style — no general table booking system on the official site; arrive early on peak evenings.
- Kids / family
- Families are welcome; daytime hours, especially Thursday's holiday session, are calmer than late Saturday evening.
- What to wear
- Casual; the moat can be cool and damp — bring a layer. Comfortable shoes for gravel/uneven ground.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Fränkisches Bierfest in 2026?
- 3–7 June 2026 in the Nürnberger Burggraben. Hours: Wed 17–23, Thu 11–23, Fri 14–23, Sat 11–23, Sun 11–20 — note Sunday closes noticeably earlier than the rest of the run.
- Is entry free?
- Yes, grounds entry is free. You pay per beer and per dish at each stand.
- Where is it?
- Burggraben at the foot of the Kaiserburg / Vestnertorbrücke, 90403 Nürnberg. From Nürnberg Hbf take U2/U3 toward Plärrer, then tram/bus to Tiergärtnertor, Hallertor, or Maxtor (check VGN for construction changes).
- What makes it special?
- Roughly 47–50 breweries, five live-music stages, and about 22 food stands strung along the castle moat — often nicknamed Europe's longest beer garden. It began as a small gathering on the nearby Insel Schütt in the late 1990s before moving to its current, more scenic Burggraben setting.
- Family-friendly
- Free entry
- Indoor / rain-friendly
- Reservation recommended
- Scenic setting