When is the Walberlafest? Dates for 2027: April 30th-May 2nd.
Discovering the magic of the Walberlafest came second for me. The first time I saw the Walberla, it caught me entirely off guard. I was on a bus to Leutenbach, primarily to check out Brauerei Drummer but planned on doing some hiking there, as well. I’d taken two trains to Forchheim from Munich and was surprised at how smoothly the transition to the bus had gone. I certainly wasn’t expecting a scenic ride, but that it was. I saw a flattish hill en route and it captured not only my attention but my imagination. It was a dismal day but even in the grayness, it stood out and had some kind of magic. After lunch, the sun came out and on my hike to the next village and brewery, I saw it again and though it wasn’t quite as enticing from that angle, I vowed to one day walk upon it.
the Walberla en route to Hetzelsdorf
The history of the festival
I later learned its name and more importantly about a spring festival atop its flat top. It was reportedly the oldest spring festival in Germany and the Walberla itself had a long history, from pagan worship to Erlangen law students partying. No wonder it had stirred me so deeply. The festival looked amazing but something always came up. My wife, who is not a big festival fan, was less than enthused about going. When I took on the task of writing the book Beer Hiking Bavaria, my wife was even more understanding of my beer hiking obsession than she usually is. So, I planned a research trip to do hikes in the area around Leutenbach and quite naturally timed it for when the festival would be.
the raising of the Maibaum is how it all gets started
It all starts with the raising of the Maibaum
I found a great apartment in Leutenbach but the festival is right on top of the Walberla. If you want go to to it, you have to hike. Well, we found out once on top that some people take a taxi from the other side to fairly close to the top. We weren’t having any of that and did a proper hike from Leutenbach. The weather was far less than ideal, quite cold for May but we enjoyed the fact that the crowds were surely smaller because of it. We got there in time for the raising of the Maibaum, the May 1st tradition still common in Bavaria. It’s also certainly a big deal for this historically significant spring festival.
some of the great beers and food at the Walberlafest
Food & Beer at the Walberlafest
Despite the cool and gray weather, it was a nice small scale festival. How were the beers at the Walberlafest? There was a a great variety from the region, including not only Drummer but also Hezelsdorfer and Meister from nearby Unterzaunsbach. From further afield was Huppendorfer. Many breweries had gravity dispense beers, even those that don’t normally do it at their brewpubs. The food at the Walberlafest featured the typical stands you get at nearly all these festivals but there were a few local variations. Mixed plates of meats and cheeses were perfect for trying different beers. We got lucky just as the sun was going down, it peeked its head out to shine some beautiful light on the rock outcroppings. The magic of the Walberlafest was in full swing.
finally a little sun on the Walberla
One brewery surprisingly missing was local Brauerie Alt from Dietzhof. It was on our agenda of places to check out for use in the book. So, down the Walberla we hiked and the beers there were very much worth the walk. Sadly, it stopped brewing on May 31, 2024.
The Walberlafest dates for 2027 are April 30th-May 2nd.
Bringing friends to discover the magic of the Walberlafest? Enjoy:
Walberla: Sometimes it’s not about the beer
Coming when the festival isn’t on? The Walberla is a great beer hiking destination:
The Walberla Undressed
Details on hiking in the area in my book, Beer Hiking Bavaria oder auf Deutsch: Bierwandern Bayern.
Cool! Nice story, Rich!
Thanks, Kevin. You’re going to love this area and want to go to the Walberlafest I’m sure.