Bad Duerkheim is a town of about 19,000 people in the Pfalz region of the state of Rheinland-Pfalz, also known in English as the Palatinate, in the western part of Germany. The town is situated in wine country and is home to the largest wine festival in the world called the Bad Duerkheim Wurstmarkt. The Wurstmarkt is called the "Sausage Fair" but in my experience, this fest is not about sausages but about wine. Lots of it!

This fest has been taking place for well over 500 years. It is held two long weekends in September every year. I have visited the fest two years in a row and enjoyed both opportunities. In fact, the second year I went I saw even more of the fest that the previous year. This year, I plan on doing even more exploring!

The fest is a big fun fair, with rides for kids of all ages, regional food specialties and traditional fest foods, and plenty of drink to choose from. The focus of this fest is on wine though, not beer, as some other very popular fests in Germany are. There are three large tents, two of which are dedicated to wine and one which serves both wine and beer. These tents have row upon row of wooden tables and benches, where Pfalzer wine is served in 500 ml glasses along with excellent regional food. Traditional music is played by bands in the afternoons and evenings, and plenty of dancing and merrymaking goes on.

What makes this fest special? The focus on wine is a major aspect. In addition to the large wine tents, there are dozens of smaller traditional wine stands where you can try all kinds of regional wines, from ice wine to sweet whites to rosé to flavourful reds. The food at this fest is great too. I think it has some of the best food I have ever had at a fest and also has the biggest variety of food I have seen. You can enjoy traditional fest food like corn on the cob and crackling pork knuckle or indulge in a regional speciality like Pfaelzer saumagen. Saumagen is pig’s stomach stuffed with pork, sausage, potato and spices (it tastes really good too!). Usually, you get a thick slice of saumagen served on a bun. This fest also has one of my favourite German meals, spanferkel, which translates to suckling pig. This luscious pork is usually served on a bun with mustard and onions and some crackling pork skin.

The Bad Duerkheim Wurstmarkt is a fest for all ages: The hot September afternoons are perfect for families; the warm evenings are ideal for adults to get out and enjoy a variety of local wines with old friends or new. There are usually a large number of English speakers at the fest as well, since it is well-known within expat communities in Germany.

Getting there

By train (highly recommended):
Take a fast train (IC or ICE) on the Deutsche Bahn to Mannheim. Transfer to a regional train or S-bahn to Bad Duerkheim. The connection through Neustadt-Boebig is an easy one. If coming from points within Rheinland-Pfalz or Baden Wuerttemburg, you may not be able to get a fast train, only regional trains or S-bahns and may have to transfer, for example, in Ludwigshafen. But don't worry: just ask those around you if you feel lost. They are most likely going to the fest too!

By car:
I recommend using a mapping website to get directions from your location. Bad Duerkheim is south of Frankfurt and west of Mannheim and Heidelberg.