Wachenheimer Burg- und Weinfest ★ 4.3
A July castle-and-wine festival on the ruined Wachtenburg above Wachenheim, with stands from the village's first-growth estates including Dr. Buerklin-Wolf and Karl Schaefer pouring estate Riesling under the Mittelhaardt hilltop.
Tip: Climb the Wachtenburg before sunset for the festival's strongest view; the ruin looks straight down the Mittelhaardt with Forst and Deidesheim laid out below.