DE IT NL ZH ES FR
Bookmark list

How can we help?

© #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann

Main Festival

31.07. – 03.08.2026

Fishermen's Jousting Programme FAQ
Red circle with text “Share feedback + win. Guest survey”

Bookmark

Tradition, good food and drink, and a spectacular fireworks display by the river

Festivities on the river Main

The Mainfest transforms Frankfurt’s banks of the Main into a festival zone brimming with enjoyment and tradition. A colourful mix of traditional fairground rides, regional specialities and a varied cultural programme reflects Frankfurt’s unique atmosphere and invites visitors to explore, enjoy and join in the celebrations.

One of the special highlights is the traditional Fischerstechen: dressed in historical costumes, brave participants compete against each other on boats – armed with padded poles, ready for an exciting contest of skill and balance.

Another highlight of the festival is the grand fireworks display on Monday evening. Against the impressive backdrop of the Main, colourful light effects illuminate the Frankfurt sky, providing a atmospheric finale to the Mainfest.

Year after year, the Mainfest thus becomes an unforgettable experience for visitors from Frankfurt and the surrounding region.

frankfurt.feiert.feste

Opening hours

Friday and Saturday: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Sunday and Monday: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am

 

Address

Mainkai and Fahrtor
60311 Frankfurt am Main

© #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann

Programme

*The official opening is at 6:00 pm, but the stalls and attractions will already be open and looking forward to your visit from 12:00 pm.

A total of 106 attractions!

  • 7 Amusement rides / amusement rides / amusement rides / scooters
    • Riesenrad 45
    • No Limit
    • Break Dancer
    • Wellenflug
    • Disco-Express 2
    • 7D Kino
    • Auto-Scooter
  • 8 children's rides
    • Aquaball
    • Kids-Autoscooter Crazy Time 2
    • Beach Jumper
    • Kids-roller-coaster Willy der Wurm
    • Adventure trip Kinder-Sportkarussell
    • Verkehrskindergarten
    • Mini Airport
    • Highway (children's loop)
  • 14 game and shooting stands / raffle
     
  • 20 sales stands
     
  • 39 snack/speciality stands
     
  • 5 catering stands with summer gardens
     
  • 12 confectionery stands
     
  • 1 promotion stand

 

All information without guarantee. Subject to change without notice. Status: 15.07.2026

© #visitfrankfurt

Fishermen's Jousting

The exciting competition on the water!

Experience a spectacular traditional duel on the Main on 2 August from 12:00 pm! Daring participants in colourful historical costumes compete against each other on wobbly boats in the Frankfurt fisherman's joust - the aim: to push the opponent into the water with a pole! The boats are provided by the Frankfurt Fishermen’s and Skippers’ Guild and are steered by members of the guild.

The fishermen and women compete against each other for the DreikönigsPokal.

Look forward to exciting duels between the Ferris wheel and candy floss. Who stays dry, who goes swimming? Come along and join in the excitement!

The fishing competition for the DreikönigsPokal at the Mainfest is organised by the Frankfurter Fischer- und Schifferzunft von 945 e.V., DLRG Bezirk Frankfurt e.V. , Schaustellerverband Frankfurt Rhein-Main e.V. and Tourismus- und Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main.

Send us an email if you want to take part
Bembel mit Text Fischerstechen am Main Mainfest

The origins of the Fishermen's Jousting

Since the Middle Ages, Frankfurt fishermen have organised a competition on the River Main. The winner was awarded the best stall at the market.

The competition - also known as ‘Schifferstechen’ - originally came from river navigation. Two opponents compete in an one-on-one-duel against each other in long boats called ‘Nachen’. The aim is to push the opponents off the boat into the water with a long pole. The boats are provided by the Frankfurt Fishermen’s and Skippers’ Guild and are steered by members of the guild. This custom is still practised today as part of the Main Festival.

Impressions

  • Bembel with "Fischerstechen Frankfurt am Main Mainfest" inscription
    © #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann
  • Group of Frankfurt fishers with oars and fish, historical group photo
    © Frankfurter Fischer- und Schifferzunft von 945 e.V.
  • Costumed jousters with lances on the Main River
    © #visitfrankfrut, Holger Ullmann
  • Two fishermen on boats fight with lances
    © Frankfurter Fischer- und Schifferzunft von 945 e.V.
  • Two fighters jousting, DLRG boat in the background
    © #visitfrankfrut, Holger Ullmann
  • Three men shaking hands in a rowing boat
    © Institut für Stadtgeschichte
  • Two participants in traditional dress at Fischerstechen on the Main in Frankfurt
    © #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann
  • Men jousting while standing on boats
    © Institut für Stadtgeschichte

History and character of the Main Festival

Historical roots,  living tradition

The origin of the Main Festival is considered to be the consecration of the Church of the Three Kings ("Dreikönigskirche") on 23rd July 1340, from which fishermen and skippers derived their fishing festival.

With the fishing festival they paid homage to "their river and its bounty". They celebrated with "ox on a spit", let wine flow from the Fountain of Justice and enjoyed passion plays performed by schoolchildren in "Himmelreich huts", goose-plucking, duck-catching by fishermen, fireworks and colourful parade rides in processions of four and six along the banks of the River Main.

On the occasion of the inauguration of the new "Old Bridge", people remembered the old Main festivals and once again organised an annual folk festival on the Main. Interrupted by the destruction of the Second World War, the then Lord Mayor Dr Walter Kolb continued the tradition. Construction work required the Main Festival to move briefly to the Ostpark, but when it returned from its exile to the Römerberg and the banks of the River Main in 1973, the Main Festival was able to celebrate a sensational comeback.

  • Ox on the spit: 
    A traditional speciality that has been enjoyed since the beginning of the festival.

  • Wine from the Fountain of Justice: 
    A unique attraction where wine instead of water flows from one of the city's historical fountains.

  • Market stalls and fairground rides: 
    A colourful hustle and bustle with market stalls offering local specialities and handicrafts, as well as fairground rides for young and old.

  • Fisherman's jousting:
    Today's Main Festival has its roots deep in the Middle Ages and was originally established as a fishing festival. To this day, the festival celebrates the old custom of fishing in co-operation with the Schaustellerverband Frankfurt Rhein-Main e.V. and the Frankfurter Fischer- und Schifferzunft.

  • With the skyline and the Ferris wheel in the background enjoy the good weather at the Mainfest and relax
    © #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann
  • View of the Skyline with the Mainfest and the ferris wheel
    © #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann
  • A lively beer garden with yellow umbrellas, wooden benches and lots of people. The stalls and rides in the background glow in bright colours.
    © #visitfrankfurt, Julia Knöchel
  • View of an illuminated carousel and a Ferris wheel on the banks of the Main in Frankfurt at sunset, with people strolling along the stands.
    © #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann
  • View of the Mainfest with colourful stalls, a carousel, skyline and an illuminated Ferris wheel at sunset.
    © #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann
  • Market stalls and colourfully illuminated stalls on the banks of the Main, with crowds of people and bridge lights in the evening atmosphere.
    © #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann
  • Visitors relax in deckchairs under parasols, with colourful market stalls and the Ferris wheel in the background.
    © #visitfrankfurt, Holger Ullmann

FAQ 

Frequently asked questions about the Mainfest

Our Partner