Culinary events in the Waldviertel
Plenty of good tasting food festivals!
Here you will find an overview of the culinary and seasonal highlights in the Waldviertel, from the waldviertelpur, a festival with cult status at Heldenplatz in Vienna, and the traditional Waldviertel dry-fishing festivals to the poppy-seed and potato festivals and top wine celebrations.
waldviertelpur
Once a year, people from the Waldviertel in northwestern Lower Austria make their way into Vienna to show the many merits of their region. About 100 exhibitors present the culinary delights, music, customs and handicrafts of the Waldviertel and provide holiday tips.
Spring awakening Kamp Valley
Springtime sees not only the landscape along the Kamp River stir awake but also the local wine scene. With a host of events celebrating wine and spring (Weinfrühling), Kamp Valley winemakers invite visitors to sample the new vintages and enjoy the wonderful local hospitality and way of life.
Weitra beer kirtag
Visitors to Weitra in July can look forward to a hearty and original festival focusing on the town’s specialty beers. Innkeepers serve these local beers in cozy beer gardens spread across the center of the town. A varied lineup of entertainment also awaits visitors and locals alike.
Herb festivals
On the Feast of the Assumption on August 15, we recommend a visit to a traditional herb festival. SONNENTOR in Sprögnitz or Pater Weidinger Center in Karlstein would be two possibilities; Thaya Valley National Park or the Kittenberg Theme Gardens two further ones. Good times for young and old are assured by the lineup of accompanying events, from tours and demonstrations at the partner businesses to herb hikes, workshops and seminars.
www.waldviertel.at/kraeuterfeste
Summer at Waldland estate
Waldland greets the summer right on time at the summer solstice! On this weekend, you can take a hike all around the Waldland estate in Oberwaltenreith and find out all about the special crops and plants growing in the fields there. You can also look forward to a number of favorite desserts from the Waldland bakery and the latest linen fashions.
Poppy seed kirtag
A red-letter date on the calendar is the popular kirtag in Armschlag celebrating poppy seeds. On the third Sunday in September everything in this village revolves around the Waldviertel gray poppy. Enjoy folk music, customs, art and culture and above all the many poppy seed specialty dishes.
Potato festivals
Potatoes are celebrated with special fall festivals of their own In Litschau and Geras.
In Litschau you can ride the steam-powered train of the Waldviertel Railroad from Gmünd to Litschau to join in the potato fest. A diverse range of tasty delicacies await you, such as potato pancakes, carp filets with potato salad, fried potatoes, and much more.
At the local potato fest in Geras everything revolves around delicious potatoes. Here the city square is transformed into a party site for a family and street fest. You can look forward to culinary delights and handicraft booths as well as parades and music.
www.waldviertelnord.at
www.erdaepfelfest.at
Waldviertel kriecherl kirtag
“Genussregion Waldviertler Kriecherl” was founded to preserve the kriecherl, a local yellowish-green skinned plum. In September this association and its partner businesses stage a kriecherl kirtag in Schönbach. You can look forward to numerous products made from this fruit, such as marmalade, chutney, schnapps, beer-plum beverages and plum-flavored spritzers. You can taste all these at the kirtag and of course purchase some to take home with you if you wish.
Dry-fishing festivals
When the poppy seed and potato harvests end, it is time for dry-fishing the Waldviertel ponds. The water is drained out of the ponds sometime between early October and early November. The carp raised in them is then gathered up using huge regular nets and scoop nets and put in wooden sorting containers. The nets are dragged through a few times until the pond is empty. You can watch the men at work at the following ponds during the dry-fishing festival: Bruneiteich Heidenreichstein, Zieringsteich bei Waldreichs, Anglerparadies Hessendorf, Gallien and the monastic pond at Geras Abbey.