Saint Martin's Festival in Karben: Light and joy for young and old!

Saint Martin's Festival in Karben: Light and joy for young and old!

On November 11, 2025, the city of Karben honored St. Martin's Day with a colorful festival at Degenfeld Castle. This year the St. Martin's Festival took place for the sixth time and once again offered numerous attractions for young and old. Mayor Guido Rahn opened the event and thanked those involved for their support. The stalls that surrounded the palace square and offered inviting culinary offerings were particularly praised. Various groups provided musical entertainment with an engaging program.

Performances by the Kurt Schumacher School youth orchestra were a highlight of the afternoon. The young musicians performed well-known songs such as “I go with my lantern” and “Saint Martin”. The children's choir from the Pestalozzi School also joined the visitors in traditional St. Martin's songs. The atmosphere was festive as children beamed their lanterns across the square.

Lantern parade and competitions

A special highlight was the lantern parade, which started promptly at 6 p.m. Saint Martin, riding majestically on a white horse, led a column of parents and children through the festively lit place. After the parade, the award ceremony for the most beautiful lanterns in various categories took place. The jury, consisting of the Jukuz Karben girls' club, honored the children's creative designs and awarded vouchers for local shops worth 10 to 20 euros.

The submission of photos of the lanterns made was also organized in advance to increase anticipation for the event. A “Recycling Award” was created to reward environmentally conscious design. The children not only enjoyed their own creativity, but also the diverse events, which ranged from face painting to exciting tours of the agricultural and local history museum.

Traditional customs around Saint Martin

The celebrations for St. Martin's Day vary from region to region. In many Catholic regions, such as Karben, the feast day of St. Martin of Tours is celebrated with lantern parades and St. Martin's singing. Traditionally, after the parade, the children enjoy a St. Martin's Wake, a sweet pastry with raisin eyes that is often given as a gift. There is also the opportunity to feed St. Martin's horse with vegetables, which is a particularly popular item on the program for younger visitors.

St. Martin's Festival focuses on community and sharing light in the dark season. In particular, the big St. Martin's fire at the end of the evening, where people came together to end the day, symbolized this light. The evening was accompanied musically by Martin the violinist, who contributed to the contemplative atmosphere with his playing.

The festival in Karben was not only a celebration of traditions, but also an opportunity for the community to gather and experience the culture of St. Martin's Day, which has a special meaning in Germany in both Catholic and Protestant regions. The event ended around 10 p.m., leaving lasting memories and anticipation for next year, when the light of Saint Martin will once again shine through the city.