Season · 6 min read · 30 August 2026

Wine festivals on the Moselle and Saar: how the region celebrates

On the Moselle and Saar, wine isn't a drink – it's the calendar: from spring deep into autumn, almost every village throws its own festival, with stands run by the local winemakers, music on the village square, grills sizzling and, sooner or later, a wine queen. Speaking as hosts, honestly: there's hardly a better way to get to know the region. Here's what you need to know.

How a wine festival works

Entry is free or a small festival fee, then you buy a glass at a stand – often with a deposit – and taste your way through: dry to off-dry Riesling, Elbling from the Upper Moselle, the winemaker's own sparkling Sekt. Alongside come regional classics like Winzersteak, tarte flambée and hearty local dishes. You sit on beer benches, fall into conversation automatically, and by the second glass someone is explaining the difference between the south-facing slopes.

The classics nearby

🍇Olewig wine festival, TrierThe city's own wine festival: every summer, locals and guests celebrate among the wine estates and lanes of the Olewig winemakers' quarter. From the Olewig Suite you practically fall into it.Traditionally at the height of summer · check the dates each year

🎡Middle Moselle wine festivalThe biggest festival in the area, in Bernkastel-Kues: days of programme, funfair, fireworks over the Moselle. A good hour by car or a lovely train ride away.Traditionally at summer's end · very busy

🥂Festivals in the Saar valleySaarburg, Konz and the Saar villages celebrate their wines on a smaller, more familiar scale – often with the better conversations. Combines perfectly with a bike ride along the Saar.Dates spread across the year

🍂Federweißer seasonIn autumn the young, still-fermenting wine reaches the glass – sweet, fizzy and dangerously drinkable, classically served with onion tart. Many winemakers pour it for only a few weeks.Around the harvest in September and October

🏡StraußwirtschaftenWinemakers may serve seasonally in their own premises – look for the bouquet or broom above the door. Not a festival, but perhaps the most honest way to drink the region's wines.Open seasonally, often only for a few weeks

🚌Getting there and backNobody drives themselves to a wine festival: trains and buses connect Trier, Konz and the Moselle villages into the evening – taxis cover the rest. Plan the return before the first glass.Check timetables for festival weekends in advance

Our advice for festival weekends

The season runs roughly from May to the end of October, peaking in high summer and around the harvest. Exact dates change every year – a quick look at the event calendars for Trier and the Moselle region before you travel is enough. And: on the big festival weekends the region books out like at no other time. If a wine festival is on your list, book your stay early – directly with us, at the best price, naturally.

Details correct as of August 2026, no guarantee – dates change yearly, please check before travelling.

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