Bavaria in a festive mood: Here are the most beautiful summer folk festivals

The "Berch" in Erlangen, which is "mountain" in the local dialect, has a firm place in the calendar of more than one million people. In addition to numerous funfair rides, it is above all the beer cellars and beer gardens that have been attracting young and old for over 250 years. The festival has never had anything to do with a "church consecration" — and the mountain is also more of a hill, too.

In July it is worth making a detour to Dinkelsbühl, as the medieval town is dominated by the Kinderzeche children's festival. It celebrates the salvation of the besieged city 400 years ago. According to legend, the children succeeded in preventing the Swedes from destroying and plundering the city with sweet words. Particularly worth seeing: the large children's procession on July 16.

Munich dances! At the Kocherlball joy for life is unleashed. Dressed in Dirndl and Lederhosen, people head to the city's largest outdoor ball in the English Garden, at the beer garden by the Chinese Tower. Everyone can join in and most are charmed by the swaying crowd. But if you want to dance here, you have to get up early: Start is 6 o'clock — and at 10 o'clock everything is over again.

The "Drachenstich" is considered to be the oldest folk play in Germany. It is about the perpetual battle of good against evil. And the dragon of Fürth is always a fearsome opponent. The 11-ton high-tech monster in its rage reaches a wingspan of 12 meters (39 ft)! If you want to attend the popular festival, you should secure your tickets in good time.

With flower-decorated wooden boats, the so-called Plätten, the journey starts at 9 am from Fischhausen to Schliersee, from south to north across the whole lake. Here the historical performers, Trachtler, are welcomed with music and firecrackers before the large festival procession begins and the Kirchweihfest slowly gains speed. Dancing is welcome.

The World Cultural Heritage city of Bamberg presents itself in a cheerful and intoxicated way during the Sandkerwa festival. Beer flows in streams, because nowhere in the world are there more breweries than in this region. The highlight is the "Fischerstechen" on the Regnitz river, enjoyed by the people and rulers since the 15th century: Whoever pushes the most opponents into the water has won.

2019 marks the 174th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig II, King of Bavaria. On the eve of the anniversary, huge logs are piled up on Oberammergau's local mountain, the Kofel, which is lit once darkness falls. Afterwards a torchlight procession moves down the valley to party in the taverns until dawn.

On the first weekend of September, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is transformed into a huge medieval camp. Crowds of knights and other groups in historical costumes roam the streets. Among the highlights are the evening torchlight processions and the great fireworks display "The Burning City" on the Saturday.

Even the most beautiful summer will pass. After about 100 days, the cattle return from the alpine pastures when the shepherds drive the animals into the valley. Hundreds come to watch the drive, which is led by magnificently decorated cows. This marks a double celebration: a day earlier there's a big procession and traditional evening in the beer tent and on the following day there is a market.

The "Wiesn" are the undisputed highlight of the Bavarian folk festival calendar. Last year around 7.5 million liters of beer were drunk and 124 oxen were eaten. If culinary delights are not your thing, you can enjoy yourself on one of the more than one hundred rides. Oktoberfest: a must for adults, and for children too.