The procession for the Hof Volksfest 2025

The time has come on 25 July!

The long wait is over: the Hofer Volksfest 2025 will soon begin - and with it one of the town's most popular traditions. The big parade will kick off the ten-day festival on Friday 25 July at the Volksfestplatz on Nailaer Straße. Around 3,600 participants in 63 groups will parade through the town centre to the festival site accompanied by music. As usual, the parade starts at 17:00 at Hof town hall.

The parade route this year leads via: Rathaus - Ludwigstraße - Oberes Tor - Altstadt - Luitpoldstraße - Marienstraße - Konrad-Adenauer-Platz - Schützenstraße - Kulmbacher Straße - main entrance Volksfestplatz - across the festival grounds to the beer garden.

At the head of the procession: Lord Mayor Eva Döhla, representatives of the city council, members of parliament, mayors, the festival hosts and representatives of the participating breweries. Many guests of honour from the city and district are also expected - including numerous delegations from the Hof municipalities, with whom the partnership is celebrating 35 years this year.

Music, people, Meinel-Bräu

The procession will be accompanied by four bands, the Fahnengarde Vogtland e. V. and - for the first time in Hof - the Trachtenmusikanten from Hof near Salzburg. Shortly before the finish, the Dixieland Six Jazz Band will provide a lively musical finale as the parade enters the festival grounds. The Hof Volksfest is officially opened in the marquee with the tapping of the beer by Mayor Eva Döhla. This year's speciality: the beer is tapped together with Meinel-Bräu, whose beer is served in the tent. Beforehand, the traditional band from Hof bei Salzburg plays a festive concert in the marquee.

Prizes for special parade contributions

In 2025, the ProHof e. V. association will once again honour particularly successful parade entries. Whether it's a traditional costume group, kindergarten, sports club or marching band - every original idea counts. A jury consisting of Mayor Eva Döhla, ProHof Chairman Volker Reinstorf and Head of the Cultural Office Peter Nürmberger will decide on site who will amaze, amuse or applaud the spectators.

Organisation with a sense of proportion and many helping hands

A parade of this size can only be organised with the close cooperation of numerous players: THW, police, BRK, fire brigade, building yard and city administration work together to coordinate the events before, during and after the parade. The utmost care is taken right from the formation around the town hall:

Foot groups form up in Klosterstraße,
Vehicles are lined up in Ludwigstraße,
Participants with animals gather at Maxplatz, where water is also provided for the animals.
To protect the participants, so-called "Volksfest-Obachtgeber" from the registered groups with high-visibility waistcoats once again accompany the vehicles in the procession - they ensure that no one gets too close to the bikes without being careful.
Two drinking water standpipes in Klosterstraße ensure that all participants have access to fresh water in the summer temperatures.

New safety measures

A new feature this year is the extended protection of the route of the parade against possible approaches: the Hof building yard will install vehicle barriers at strategic points, as they have already proved their worth on the Schlappentag. This means that all participants and spectators can enjoy the parade in a relaxed atmosphere.