Annafest at the Forchheim Beer gardens

This is being celebrated:

The Annafest in the Forchheimer Kellerwald has developed from the Annafest pilgrimage. It is traditionally opened with the beer tapping. Over 20 beer cellars offer 18 different festival beers. A festive procession in traditional costume and historical garments follows the next day. Franconian specialities, showmen, rides and live music complete the programme.

When:

23rd July to 2nd August 2021

Where:

Forchheim (Franconia)

Forchheimer Kellerwald: Franconian cuisine under the trees

Rustic beer cellars shaded by oak trees – serving chilled beer and hearty snacks: The Forchheimer Kellerwald in the east of the former royal city in Franconia offers a warm culinary welcome to visitors from near and far. With more than 20 small, cosy beer gardens seating around 30,000 people, it is probably the largest beer garden in the world.

A narrow path snakes through the Forchheimer Kellerwald, leading from one beer cellar to the next.

As in days gone by, the precious brew is still stored in the cellar vaults that give the Kellerwald its name. The tunnels were hewn out of the coarse, porous Rhät sandstone with pickaxes more than 400 years ago. Back then, the locals used the cellars, which extend more than three kilometres, to store food.

The constant temperature of eight to ten degrees later inspired local master brewers to store their beer in the vaults – and to serve it there too. This was the origin of the special beer serving stations.

The Annafest - a folk festival with a long tradition

The Forchheimer Kellerwald is not just a place to enjoy a relaxing drink, but a genuine cultural hot spot. A particular highlight is the Annafest at the end of July: For almost 180 years, the residents of Forchheim have been celebrating the name day of Saint Anna with an eleven-day festival. The endearing fair with its own special charm attracts up to 500,000 visitors to the Kellerwald each year. In addition to the 20 or more cellars, a further 90 entertainers get involved in the Annafest each year.

The Forchheim breweries brew a special festival beer for the occasion. It has a higher alcohol and gravity content than the regular beer,  making the Annafest beer somewhat sweeter.