Off to the Kirchtag!

Kirchtag is older than the landlord: the village dances!

Hartl landlord Reinhard Hartl and parish priest Michael Golavcnik invite you to the traditional Jakobi-Kirchtag in Neuhaus next weekend.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek/EVELYN HRONEK)

In the Protestant and Catholic churches, St. James, the patron saint of hikers and pilgrims, is commemorated every year on July 25. To mark the occasion, there will be another celebration in Neuhaus next weekend at the Hartl-Wirt inn. The Petzen also calls for a mountain church day on July 28.

"There are hardly any records, but we know that Jakobikirchtag has been celebrated here for hundreds of years," says priest Michael Golavčnik. The parish church in Neuhaus is dedicated to St. James the Elder. Right next to the church is the Hartl-Wirt, where pub culture has been practiced for over 250 years. "The landlord has always been responsible for the entertainment at the church festival. The whole village dances here," says Reinhard Hartl.

Roast pork from the wood-fired oven
"Roast pork cooked in a wood-fired oven has always been a tradition for us," says Hartl. The recipe for the dish is, of course, top secret. Of course, fried chicken, Hadnnudel and Hadntorte are also served at Kirchtag.

Blessings in all directions
Before the celebrations begin on Sunday, a church service is held at 10 am. Finally, there is a blessing in all four directions. It is intended to protect against disasters and storms and to ward off evil. For the village priest, Jakobikirchtag is the biggest festival of the year. The castle chapel can be heard from 11 am. On Monday, Oberkrainer music is played live at the Nachkirchtga.

Petzen - the mountain is calling!
The traditional Petzenkirchtag, which is organized annually by the Petzen Ski Club, also takes place on Sunday. "Our Almkirchtag has a long tradition. The former church committee, which was founded for the construction of St. Anna's Church in the mid-1970s, started it," says SC chairman Hermann Innerwinkler. The Petzen mountain rescue team continued later. "When this festival on the mountain pasture went beyond the scope, we took it over," says Innerwinkler.

Celebrations have been held on the Kirchtag meadows on the Petzen since the 1970s.

(Bild: Petzen Kirchtag)

The preparations for the Almkirchtag take weeks. "It starts with mowing the meadow so that our Kirchtagswiesn, which is guarded by larch trees, is beautiful and ends with setting up the outdoor ambience and catering for our guests. Over 115 people from the club are involved in the Almkirchtag. After all, the proceeds go to the SC Petzen ski talents. "We are very happy, nowadays the traditional costume is the dress for the Petzen-Kirchtag, good footwear is desired for those who take the path on foot," says Vera Kusej from the cable car. The cable car runs up the mountain from 7 am. The event starts with a morning pint at 10 am. This is followed by mass in the St. Anna Chapel. The colorful hustle and bustle at the Almkirchtag starts at 12 noon. The party band "Die 3 Kärntner" will entertain.