Steinfest

Steinfest is a cultural festival dedicated to stone and masonry crafts. The event brings together sculptors, masons, quarry workers, and enthusiasts to celebrate stone as a building material and as a medium for art. Steinfest features live demonstrations of stone carving, stone cutting, and architectural restoration techniques, as well as exhibitions of finished sculptures and historic stonemasonry. In addition, the festival offers hands-on workshops for adults and youth, guided tours of nearby historic stone structures, and vendor stands selling tools, minerals, and carved stoneware. The program commonly includes lectures on geology, quarrying history, and preservation methods.

Historically, Steinfest traces its roots to medieval fairs organized by stone guilds and towns dependent on quarrying. In its modern form, the festival emerged in several German-speaking regions during the late 20th century as part of cultural heritage and tourism initiatives. It is typically held during the warmer months, often over a weekend, and is hosted by local governments in cooperation with cultural associations and craft guilds. Attendance varies by location but may attract visitors from surrounding regions as well as craft professionals.

Steinfest serves to promote traditional craft skills, support local artisans, and raise awareness of the historical importance of stone in architecture and sculpture. It is part of a broader family of regional stone and sculpture festivals.