--- title: "Main Festival" url: "https://www.visitfrankfurt.travel/en/experience/festival-and-events/main-festival" language: "en" breadcrumb: "Root > Home > Experience > Festival and Events > Main Festival" --- Main Festival ============= 30.07. – 02.08.2027 - - - 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. - Opening hours Friday and Saturday: 12:00 pm – 01:00 am Sunday and Monday: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am Address Mainkai and Fahrtor 60311 Frankfurt am Main Programme Further details will be provided in good time before the festival begins. Attractions… …will be announced in good time before the festival begins. 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 , , and Tourismus- und Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main. - 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 - - - - - - - - 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. - - - - - - - FAQ Frequently asked questions about the Mainfest - When will the Main Festival 2027 take place? The Main Fesivalt will take place 30.07. – 02.08.2027. - Where will the Main Festival 2027 take place? The Main Festival takes place at Mainkai, Fahrtor, and Römerberg. - What are the opening hours of the Mainfest? - **Friday & Saturday** - 12:00 pm - 1:00 am - **Sunday & Monday** - 12:00 pm - 12:00 am - What is the "Child Finder" (Kinder-Finder) and how is it used? With the Kinder-Finder (Child Finder), you can relax and enjoy your visit to Frankfurt's folk festivals. This free service from the Frankfurt Showmen's Association is aimed particularly at families with small children and provides added security at the festival grounds. The Kinder-Finder is a wristband on which you enter your mobile phone number. If you lose sight of your child in the hustle and bustle, other visitors or the police can quickly reach you by phone. This makes it easy for you to find each other again. The wristband is available free of charge at all children's rides. Simply pick one up, write down your number and enjoy the hustle and bustle with peace of mind. - How do I reach the Main Festival by public transport? You can reach the Mainfest by taking the **underground lines U4 and U5** to the station **Dom/Römer.** or **tram lines 11, 12, and 14** to the station **Römer/Paulskirche.** - Is it possible to travel to the Main Festival by car? The address for the sat nav is: Römer - Frankfurt am Main The following multi-storey car parks are in the immediate vicinity: - Dom/Römer multi-storey car park, Domstraße 1 - Hauptwache multi-storey car park, Kornmarkt 10 - Konstabler multi-storey car park, Töngesgasse 8 Car parks for the event are not available. - Are there disabled parking spaces? There are disabled parking spaces in the Dom-Römer underground parking garage. - Are there any road closures to be aware of during this year's Main Festival? Yes, during this year's Main Festival, there will be some road closures to take note of. We recommend planning alternative routes in advance and using public transport to avoid any inconvenience. - Is it permitted to bring pets, strollers or handcarts to the Main Festival? 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. ### Our Partner