Christkindl Fest

The Christkindl Spiel Christmas caroling tradition in the German villages of the Bakony and the Balaton Uplands was inscribed on the UNESCO National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021. Christkindl Spiel has been a singing folk tradition since the time of the Reformation and first appeared in Hungary in the 18th century in the German settlements of the Bakony and the Balaton Uplands. On the morning of 24th December, from 8 to 15 years old, girls dressed in costumes appropriate to their role, with a headdress or a fancy party on their heads, go around the village from morning to midnight. They knock on every door to play out a scene to bring the good news: little Jesus has been born. Their German-language, verse-singing performance is accompanied by bells. The poems, songs and other texts are learnt and performed by the groups in the variations that have been preserved in the village according to local tradition.

In addition to singing and dramatic performances, a family mime workshop, a Christmas market and handicraft activities, there will also be local history round tables (Stammtisch), presentations of the Christmas folk traditions of the Bakony and the Balaton Uplands, and the significant days and folk customs associated with the Advent cycle. The Christkindl exhibition opens, the Heimatklang Singing Ensemble, which preserves the musical heritage of our German-speaking settlements, performs and the Wirtshaustheater (pub theatre) offers a unique experience with a special scripted tasting of local dishes accompanied by traditional toasts.