Finther Kerb

Today, it is hard to imagine a Kerb without a vintage, as it plays a major role in the success of the event and revives customs and traditions every year. In other areas, the Kerb is also called Kirchmesse, Kirmes, Kirmse, Kirbe, Kerbe, Kerwe, Kermes or Kirta, in Switzerland Kilbe or Chilbi. The event in Mainz, the Finther Kerb, takes place every year on the second weekend in September.

The Finther Kerbeverein was founded in 2010 with the idea of organizing the Kerb in advance with all those involved and generating a permanent point of contact. Like so many things, it all started with an idea. Not always just talking, but taking the initiative, actively helping to shape the event and creating a good basis.

The tasks of the Kerbeverein are very diverse and all aim to make the Kerb possible for the people of Finth with attractive offers. To this end, the FKV coordinates between the clubs, liaises with the authorities and assembles the new year's class for the current year.

The Kerb festival commemorates the consecration day of the Catholic parish church of St. Martin. Since the 9th century, it has become customary to celebrate the consecration of the church not only with a festive church service, but also to organize a fair with dancing and all kinds of attractions on a fairground. What we call showmen today used to be the traveling folk, the jugglers and fire-eaters.

Since the consecration of the church by Auxiliary Bishop Edmund Gedult von Jungenfeld in 1723, the church consecration was held in August. However, this date did not suit the people of Finth at the time, as the harvest was still in full swing in the fields and there was no time to celebrate. The parish church in its present form was consecrated by Bishop von Ketteler on September 7, 1854. This gave rise to today's date for the celebration of the Finther Kerb, always the Sunday after the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (September 8).