Tradition and culture - A festival that connects
Main Festival: Heartbeat
on the riverbank
The Main Festival in Frankfurt, taking place directly on the banks of the River Main, transforms the city into a lively meeting place that brings together young and old. With a colourful mix of traditional rides, delicious regional food and a diverse cultural programme, the festival reflects the lively soul of Frankfurt.
The traditional fisherman's joust is one of the highlights of this festival. Brave participants in historical costumes compete against each other on wooden boats, equipped with long poles, in a captivating contest of skill and balance. Set against the backdrop of the River Main, this event offers a fascinating journey through time and attracts crowds of enthusiasts every year.
Opening hours
Fishermen's Jousting
The exciting competition on the water!
Experience a spectacular traditional duel on the Main on 3rd August! 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 fishermen and women compete against each other in four different categories and fight for the
The respective winners then compete in the grand final 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+Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main.
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 teams compete 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. This custom is still practised today as part of the Main Festival.
Impressions
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.
Programme and attractions
Information on the programme will follow
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Mainfest
The Main Fesivalt will take place 01. – 04.08.2025.
The Main Festival takes place at Mainkai, Fahrtor, and Römerberg.
We recommend travelling by public transport.
The address for the sat nav is:
Römer - Frankfurt am Main
The following multi-storey car parks are in the immediate vicinity:
Car parks for the event are not available.
There are disabled parking spaces in the Dom-Römer underground parking garage.
Bringing pets to the Main Festival is not recommended, except for service dogs, which are of course welcome. The use of strollers is permitted, allowing families with young children to enjoy the event comfortably. However, handcarts are not allowed.