Hochheim Market

Fair and folk festival with over 500 years of tradition and 600,000 visitors every year. Sales, events and attractive leisure activities as well as a cattle market on the pond grounds.

In 1484, Emperor Frederick III granted Hochheim am Main the privilege of holding fairs, of which only the autumn market has survived to this day. The original earlier date for the market was soon moved to the first Saturday after All Souls' Day, particularly in view of the fact that the grape harvest and the work in the cellars had only been completed by then. This was because the Hochheim market was originally used by the rural population of the region, i.e. the vast majority, to market the harvest. The market days were therefore characterized by a large gathering of cattle and horse traders and a special type of auction of cask wine, the "forking". The quality of the wine in all the barrels was first assessed by tasting. Anyone who wanted to bid for the best barrel at the auction also had to take the worst. For the second best, the second worst was added. And so the auction continued until all the barrels had been sold. Although this ensured that no one was left sitting on their harvest due to poor quality, which could not always be prevented due to natural influences, it also meant that there was no incentive to really work on the quality of the wine. Eventually, this system was abandoned.

The Hochheim market of our time has developed into a mixture of market, amusement and livestock market with an exhibition of agricultural machinery and exhibitions, performance shows and awards in horse, cattle, sheep and goat breeding. On the Monday of the market, the traditional cattle drive still takes place on the cattle market grounds. Traders offer horses, ponies, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits and poultry for sale. Official veterinarians monitor compliance with animal health and welfare regulations.