Next dates
2027 dates not yet announced — typically around August. We're watching and will update this page when they land.
Future dates
- 2027Aug 11–15, 2027
Quick answer
Rothenburger Weindorf runs 12–16 August 2026 on Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz in Rothenburg ob der Tauber's Altstadt. Local gastronomy partners and Franconian wineries serve wine and food Wednesday through Sunday, with free admission to both market squares. The organized Weindorf itself has run annually since 2010, paused only in 2020 for COVID-19 — a modern civic event distinct from Rothenburg's much older wine-growing tradition, which traces to the 13th century. The event is entirely open-air, with no indoor fallback if it rains.
- Best for
- Medieval Rothenburg visitors who want Franconian wine without the Sommermesse fairground, and couples looking for illuminated Altstadt evenings. Best for travelers with some schedule flexibility, since the event is entirely open-air with no rain fallback — worth checking the forecast and having a backup plan if conditions look unsettled on your chosen evening.
- Booking urgency
- Medium for Friday/Saturday dining in the walled town — reserve restaurants early; wine stands themselves are walk-up. There's no separate "rain date" to book around: because the Weindorf has no indoor fallback, a bad-weather evening simply means the event may not run rather than moving somewhere covered.
Five-day wine village on Rothenburg's Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz — Franconian wines and regional cuisine, 12–16 August 2026.
Rothenburger Weindorf transforms the Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz 12–16 August 2026 as local restaurateurs and partner wineries pour Franconian wines with regional and international dishes. Opening hours run Wed–Thu 17:00–23:00, Fri–Sat 16:00–24:00, and Sun 12:00–22:00. The tourism event calendar has already rolled forward to list 2027 alongside these confirmed 2026 dates.
The full story
Every August, Rothenburg ob der Tauber's Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz — the market square set against St.-Jakobs-Kirche — fill for five days with the Rothenburger Weindorf. The 2026 edition runs Wednesday, August 12 through Sunday, August 16, with local gastronomy partners each teaming up with a Franconian or Tauber valley winery to pour wine and serve regional and international food side by side. Hours run Wednesday and Thursday 17:00–23:00, Friday and Saturday 16:00–24:00, and Sunday 12:00–22:00, with free admission to both squares throughout — visitors pay only for what they eat and drink at the stands.
As an organized event, the Weindorf is younger than it might look against Rothenburg's walled medieval backdrop: it has run annually since 2010, administered by the Stadt Rothenburg's Amt für Messen und Märkte, with a single confirmed gap in 2020 when the event was paused for COVID-19. That's worth separating clearly from Rothenburg's own, much older wine story — the town's wine-growing tradition traces back to the 13th century, inside a broader Franconian viticultural history documented since the 8th century. The Weindorf itself is a modern civic format layered on top of that older wine culture, not a centuries-old festival in its own right.
Because the event runs entirely in the open air across two public squares, there's no indoor hall or covered tent to retreat to if the weather turns — plan around the forecast, since a bad-weather evening can mean the event simply doesn't run rather than moving indoors. Dress for the conditions, and note that the Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz each have their own vendor mix and atmosphere, so it's worth walking both rather than settling at the first stand. Friday and Saturday evenings draw the biggest crowds and run latest, so reserve a restaurant table in the walled Altstadt ahead if you want a guaranteed dinner seat; the wine and food stands themselves are walk-up only, no reservation needed. See Rothenburger Weindorf or explore Middle Franconia.
History
Rothenburger Weindorf has run annually since 2010, organized by the Stadt Rothenburg's Amt für Messen und Märkte on the Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz. That makes it a distinctly modern civic event, separate from Rothenburg's much older general wine tradition — the town's own wine-growing history traces to the 13th century, within a broader Franconian viticultural tradition documented since the 8th century. The Weindorf's run was paused in 2020 due to COVID-19, the one confirmed gap in an otherwise annual event.
On Tap
- Local focus
- Franconian wineries and local gastronomy partners pouring wine across Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz.
- What to try
- Work through the Franconian wine list at the market-square stands.
- Food pairing
- Food from the local gastronomy partners alongside the wine.
- Best for
- Rothenburg visitors who want a free, walkable wine event in the old town squares.
- Bavaria On Tap take
- Wine and food across two historic squares, with free admission throughout, Wednesday through Sunday.
Practical tips
The English-language details German fest pages usually skip.
- What to wear
- Dress for the weather — the Weindorf runs entirely open-air across the Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz, with no indoor or covered space to fall back on if it rains. Check the forecast before heading out; official Bavaria tourism listings note the event can be cancelled outright if the weather doesn't cooperate.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Rothenburger Weindorf 2026?
- 12–16 August 2026.
- Where is it?
- Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz in Rothenburg's Altstadt.
- Is entry free?
- Yes — open squares; pay for wine and food at stands.
- What are the hours?
- Wed–Thu 17:00–23:00; Fri–Sat 16:00–24:00; Sun 12:00–22:00.
- How old is the Weindorf, and is it the same as Rothenburg's old wine tradition?
- No — the two are different things. The organized Weindorf event has run annually since 2010, administered by the city's Amt für Messen und Märkte. Rothenburg's own wine-growing tradition is far older, tracing to the 13th century, within a Franconian viticultural history documented since the 8th century. The Weindorf is a modern civic event built on top of that older wine culture, not a centuries-old festival itself.
- What happens if it rains?
- The Weindorf is fully open-air across the Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz, with no indoor hall or covered tent to move into. Check the forecast before you go — official Bavaria tourism listings note the event can be cancelled if the weather doesn't cooperate.
- Has the Weindorf ever been cancelled?
- Yes — the event was paused in 2020 due to COVID-19, the one confirmed gap in its otherwise annual run since 2010.
- Free entry
- Reservation recommended