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Mainz is best known for Fastnacht, its literary-political Carnival, but the events calendar runs all year with wine fairs, a summer river festival and one of Germany’s strongest Christmas markets. Most events are free to enter, and the biggest ones fill hotels months ahead, so check the dates before you book. For the weather behind each season, see our Mainz weather by month guide, and for the overall city, the Mainz travel guide.
Mainz Events and Festivals: Fastnacht (Carnival)
Mainz is one of Germany’s three great Carnival cities, alongside Cologne and Düsseldorf, and its Fastnacht is famous for political satire rather than simple partying. The season opens each year on 11 November at 11:11, when the Narrhallamarsch is played and the Narrenschelle fools’ council takes over, then the real action lands in the six weeks before Ash Wednesday. The key days are Weiberfastnacht (the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, when women storm the town hall), the youth parade, and the Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) grand parade, which draws up to half a million spectators in February. The date moves with Easter, so check the exact year; the city empties of parking and many shops close on the big parade days. A good place to pick a neighborhood to watch from is our Mainz neighborhoods guide.
Mainz Events and Festivals: Wine Festivals and Markets
Mainz is the capital of Rheinhessen, Germany’s largest wine region by area, so wine is everywhere in the event calendar. The Mainzer Weinmarkt (Mainz Wine Market) runs for two weeks from late August into early September on Domplatz and Schillerplatz, with dozens of local wineries pouring Riesling, Silvaner and Spätburgunder by the glass. Entry is free and you pay per glass, typically 3 to 5 euros. The smaller St. John’s wine festival and several cellar tastings run through the autumn, which is also the best time to visit Mainz for mild weather and harvest.
Mainz Events and Festivals: Johannisnacht (St. John’s Night)
Johannisnacht is a four-day city festival held in late June around St. John’s Day on 24 June. It spreads stages across the old town, the Gutenberg Museum and the Rhine bank, with book stalls, live music, and the traditional Gautschen ceremony, where apprentice printers are dunked in water in a mock baptism. The closing fireworks over the Rhine are the highlight, and the whole event is free. It pairs well with the attractions in our things to do in Mainz guide.
Mainz Events and Festivals: Christmas Market
The Mainzer Weihnachtsmarkt runs from late November to 23 December across Marktplatz, Domplatz, Liebfrauenplatz and Schillerplatz. Around 100 stalls sell Glühwein, roasted almonds, and handmade crafts beneath the cathedral and the state theatre, and the market is one of the few that stays open on 23 December. Weekday evenings are far calmer than weekends, and the weather rarely drops below freezing, with daytime highs around 5 C (41 F) in December.
Mainz Events and Festivals: More Annual Events
The Open Ohr Festival, a youth theatre and culture festival, takes over the Zitadelle fortress over the Whitsun weekend in late May or early June. Mainz 05 play Bundesliga home matches at the Mewa Arena from August to May, with tickets generally 15 to 45 euros, and the city holds a Museumsnacht (Museum Night) once a year with single-ticket access to all museums. If you need somewhere to sleep during any of these, see our where to stay in Mainz guide, and for getting here, the Mainz travel tips page.
