The Harxheim Wine Yard Festival
The Harxheimer Weinhöfefest was first celebrated in 1980 and quickly became the most important festival in the village. Since 2014, it has carried the “Rheinhessen AUSGEZEICHNET” seal of quality. With the exception of the Corona year 2020, a new wine princess has been crowned every year since. Harxheim can thus boast a record-breaking number of wine princesses.
Be merry in Harxheim with wine” – that is the motto of the popular Harxheim Wine Yard Festival, which is known far beyond Harxheim. It was first celebrated in 1980 and quickly became the most important festival in the village. It is always celebrated on the penultimate weekend in August. Since its inception, the Weinhöfefest has recorded around 1 million guests, making it a real magnet for visitors. Since 2014, it has carried the “Rheinhessen AUSGEZEICHNET” seal of quality.
The Weinhöfefest is organized by the Harxheimer Heimat- und Verkehrsverein e.V. (HVV), which was formed in 1978 – initially as a local working group of the Verkehrsverein of the Verbandsgemeinde. In 1988, the current association emerged from the working group. In early 1980, the Farmers’ and Winegrowers’ Association, in discussion with the municipality, also advocated the creation of a wine festival. So in February 1980 it was decided to celebrate the first Weinhöfefest in Harxheim from August 22nd – 24th 1980. Five winemakers (Lambinet-Grünig, Martin Kerz, Peter Lotz, Ludwig Roßbach, Walter Schickert) had opened their doors the first time. The men’s gymnastics of the local sports club SG 03 Harxheim e. V. also joined in as a welcome addition. For many years she has had her stand in the beautiful courtyard of Haus Imbusch in Untergasse 18.
SG03 booth in the Imbusch yard
Image: Irmgard Kaiser-Vreke
At every opening ceremony: Dance and traditional costume group Harxheim, here in 2004
Image: HVV-Harxheim
Many elements of the event arose spontaneously in 1980 and have stood the test of time ever since. Besides the festival motto, this includes the name “Harxheimer Weinhöfefest”, which was suggested by Werner Husar and refers to the open courtyards.
A new wine princess every year since 1980
Walter Schickert had the idea to crown a wine princess for the first Weinhöfefest. First Harxheim wine princess became Astrid Kerz (Astrid I). Since then, Harxheim has had a new wine princess every year with one exception (wine princess Mirjam I remained in office for two years after her introduction in August 2019 due to Corona). Thus, our town can now boast more than 40 wine princesses and may be a record-breaker in this respect.
The Harxheim wine princess Mirjam I. with most of the former Harxheim wine majesties at the wine yard festival anniversary 2019
Image: HVV-Harxheim
Traditionally, the respective wine princess is not elected by a committee, but is chosen by usually only two people. Thus, every year it is a very well-kept secret until the opening ceremony which young lady will be the new wine princess.
During the year of office, it is the task of the wine princess to represent Harxheim wine charmingly and expertly, both in the town and at external events. For this, she does not necessarily have to come from a winery, but should have an interest in and enjoyment of the subject of wine. The Harxheim dance and costume group has so far proved to be a good source of princess offspring; most of the princesses have danced here.
From simple beginnings, the preparation of the princess for her new office and also her equipment have now improved significantly. The first Harxheim wine princess Astrid I (Kerz) had procured her crown from the Mainz Fassnachtsausstatter Jacques Hermann. Now a silver headband, which is passed on every year, adorns the wine majesty. A rhetoric course before taking office is just as much a matter of course as professionally designed autograph cards, her own Internet address and a specially produced princess wine.
Harxheim wine princess Astrid I and local mayor Heinrich Müller 1980
Image: HVV-Harxheim
Article in the Allgemeine Zeitung Mainz about the Weinhöfefest 1980
Image source: Siegfried Schäfer
If the young princess wishes to continue her majestic career in Harxheim after the end of her year in office, she can apply to become the Rheinhessen Wine Major for the following year. Harxheim, for example, is proud of Simone Reßler, the Rhine-Hessian Wine Queen of the year 2000, as well as several Rhine-Hessian Wine Princesses: Petra Happel (1995), Carmen Jung (1997), Susanne Witt (2000), Claudia Ackermann (2005), Jennifer Ackermann (2011), Lena Kessel (2012) and Mirjam Bäßler (2021).
The festive glass: from the Säntis cup to the chalice glass
The celebratory glasses have a history of their own. They are sold every year at the festival to cover part of the costs. Therefore, the serving is done only with a “valid” fixed glass. Until 2002, 0.1-liter Säntis cups were used; from 1995, they diverged conically at the top. These cups could be conveniently placed in a drinking glass holder dangling around the neck. So you had both hands free while strolling through the festival. From 1980 – 1982, the glasses were printed with an emblem created especially for the Wine Yard Festival, which included, among other things, the festival motto. From 1983 to 1993, new views of the town drawn by Siegfried Schäfer adorned the festive glass each year. After that, the participating wineries were presented in turn.
Festive glasses for the Weinhöfefest from 1980 – 2002, in the upper row also festive glasses on the occasion of 1200 years Harxheim (1967) and for the Harxheimer Kapellchen (1980)
Image: HVV-Harxheim
From 2003, a goblet glass was used. In the first years, the festival emblem was depicted on it, later the town’s coat of arms appeared in combination with the text “Harxheim” and below it “Weinhöfefest”. The goblet was more elegant, of course, but the drinking glass holder that had been used until then was thus passé. A drinking glass holder for a goblet glass has not yet succeeded despite several attempts. In 2016 – also in implementation of the specifications of Rheinhessen Marketing – the change to a higher goblet took place. On it you can see the coat of arms of the village and the motto of the festival. Many Harxheim festival-goers who have attended the festival for years will still have glasses from all decades in their cupboards as a fond memory and also for private use.
Unforgotten: Balloon glow at the Weinhöfefest
Balloon glow at the Weinhöfefest in 2004
Image: HVV-Harxheim
Until 2010, the highlights of the festival included the hot air balloons taking off from Harxheim. The free balloon sports school A. u. R. Mathes, which was located in the village at that time, organized this event and brought balloonists from Germany, Europe and even the USA to Harxheim every year. Each wine princess was invited to a balloon ride after her coronation. Other prominent guests also rode along during the festive season, including Cardinal Karl Lehmann of Mainz and Claus Kleber, chief anchorman of ZDF’s Today Journal until 2021. The balloon glow, which took place at dusk in suitable weather conditions, is also unforgettable.
In 2019, the 40th Wine Yard Festival was celebrated. For this anniversary, the organizers have collected pictures from 40 years of Weinhöfefest and shown them in a non-stop show on a big screen at the Platz an der Waage. This was a much used and beautiful opportunity to look back together.
Video on the occasion of the 40th Harxheimer Weinhöfefest
Source: HVV-Harxheim
Autocorso of (almost) all Harxheim wine princesses through the Untergasse at the 40th Weinhöfefest 2019
Image: HVV-Harxheim
Another highlight was the Sunday convertible parade of almost all previous wine princesses through the historic town center.
The successes have spurred on the further development of the festival in line with the times. Over the years, for example, the high-altitude fireworks on the opening evening and the Night of 2500 Lights on Sunday evening have been added. Since 2018, a new string of lights has beautified the entire town center and contributed to the “feel-good” ambience.
Final parade on Monday at the 40th Wine Yard Festival 2019
Image: HVV-Harxheim
References:
Becker, Wolfgang (2017): Harxheimer Weinhöfefest. In: Ortgemeinde Harxheim (Hrsg.): Festbuch 2017. Harxheim. Eintausendzweihundertfünfzig. Selzen. S. 175 – 176.
20th anniversary of the Wine Yard Festival. 1999. Festschrift. Harxheim.
