Bucharest, September 14. Haferland Week, the most beloved cultural festival of the Saxons everywhere, returns in 2027, August 5–8, in the villages located between Brașov, Sibiu, and Sighișoara, where the historical heart of this community lies: Criț, Homorod, Viscri, Saschiz, Cloașterf, Bunești, Meșendorf, Rupea, Archita, and Roadeș.
This will be an anniversary edition—the 15th—marking 15 years of uninterrupted existence for this festival, which celebrates the history and traditions of the Transylvanian Saxon community. Over the course of 800 years, the Saxons have created, in the heart of Transylvania, a rural culture of German language and tradition that is unique in Eastern Europe, whose tangible and intangible heritage represents an extraordinarily rich resource and, at the same time, a bridge connecting them to the German-speaking regions of Western Europe.
Over the course of its 14-year history, the Haferland Week festival has brought important issues back into the public eye, such as ensuring the continuity of German-language education in the Saxon community, protecting architectural heritage, supporting public and private programs for the restoration of Saxon historical monuments, and developing the local economy. At the same time, the revival of cultural tourism helps showcase the local heritage, with the villages of Haferland offering notable examples through their fortified castles and churches, former parsonages, and restored traditional farmsteads—such as the Kraus House in Criț—which offer guests an authentic glimpse into life in a Transylvanian village. At the same time, the festival brings together people from different cultures, generations, and fields, providing a space for dialogue, the exchange of perspectives, and a better understanding of one another. Traditionally, the festival hosts the annual meetings of the Romanian-German Bilateral Cooperation Forum (FCBRG), an organization whose mission is to foster dialogue on economic and cultural issues between Germany and Romania.
Haferland Week 2026, which took place from August 6 to 9, was marked by the presence of distinguished guests—the President of the Romanian Senate, H.E. Mircea Abrudean, and Nadia Comăneci, a legend of world sports, under whose patronage this year’s edition of the festival was held. This edition also set a record for attendance, with nearly 10,000 visitors taking part in over 60 events.
“In 2027, we want to offer visitors new surprises in addition to the well-established events that are known and appreciated by all visitors, such as traditional brass band concerts, jazz concerts, the traditional Saxon ball, and the parades,” said Mr. Michael Schmidt, president of the Michael Schmidt Foundation and co-founder of the festival. “Every year, we add new elements to the program, often inspired by Saxon traditions. Some of these new initiatives, such as the hike to the Saschiz refuge fortress, have been so well-received by the public that they have already become part of the annual program. We hope to offer more surprises like these next year as well, so that festival guests will have the opportunity to discover the beauty and extraordinary treasures of the Saxon culture in Transylvania.”
The 2026 edition of Haferland Week hosted, for the third consecutive year, Youth Haferland, an educational and adventure camp for young people and teenagers aged 14 to 24—an initiative that provides access to intercultural experiences and the opportunity to discover local cultural heritage. The project is a partnership between the Michael Schmidt Foundation and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Romania Foundation. This year’s edition of Youth Haferland saw the first-ever participation of two international teams—from Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, respectively—alongside the Romanian team.
Operating globally, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program offers international recognition and a structured framework of non-formal educational activities for young people between the ages of 14 and 24. Internationally, the program is sponsored by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and nationally by HRH Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown.
The festival organizers, the Michael Schmidt Foundation and the Tabaluga Foundation // Peter Maffay Foundation, receive support from the following partners: the Democratic Forum of Germans in Transylvania, the Association of Transylvanian Saxons in Germany, the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania, through the District Consistory of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Brașov, The Cultural Center of the Transylvanian Saxons in Bavaria, the Mihai Eminescu Trust Foundation, the ADEPT Transylvania Foundation, the Nowero Association, the Rupea City Hall, the Discover Archita Association, the Vânători City Hall (Mureș County), the Saschiz City Hall (Mureș County), the Saschiz Women’s Neighborhood Association, the Bunești City Hall (Brașov County), as well as the Kraus House (Criț, Brașov County).