A trip to Baden-Wurttemberg would be incomplete without participating in Baden-Wurttemberg festivals. No matter what time of year you're visiting, you're sure to find any of the following festivals an entertaining experience:

Cannstatter Wasen Beer Festivals

Located in Stuttgart in the southwest area of Baden-Wurttemberg is the 86-acre Cannstatter Wasen festival area, where the Cannstattter Volkfest is held for two weeks each year. Widely considered the second largest beer festival in the world (after Munich's Oktoberfest), it's not actually technically a beer festival, but you'll definitely find plenty of beer for sale at this festival that was originally established as an agricultural trade fair. Since it begins in late September or early October, one week after Munich's Oktoberfest, you could possibly visit both on the same trip.

If you're headed to Baden-Wurttemberg in the spring instead of the fall, you can attend the spring event instead. Another two-week festival held at the Cannstatter Wasen is the Stuttgart Spring Festival, which begins sometime from mid-April to early May. Although a bit smaller than the corresponding fall festival, the Stuttgart Spring Festival still provides plenty of carnival amusements, food stands and beer.

Christkindlmarkt (Christmas Market)

Throughout Germany in the weeks before Christmas, you'll find "Christmas Markets" popping up in small towns and major cities alike. The state of Baden-Wurttemberg is especially famous for the Christmas Market festivals, particularly in larger areas like Stuttgart. For three to four weeks before Christmas, local craftspeople and store owners will set up shop on streets to sell traditional German Christmas foods, such as toasted almonds, cookies and gingerbread, fruit cake, hot mulled wine and dried plum figurines. You can also purchase handmade trinkets, toys, ornaments and Christmas decorations. There's also typically a Nativity scene somewhere along the market to help set the mood.

African Summer Festival

In the city of Karlsruhe in the northwest corner of Baden-Wurttemberg, an annual African Summer Festival is an especially popular Baden-Wurttemberg summer festival. Held at the Nordstadt Markets for three days in July, the African Summer Festival celebrates the cultural heritage of the transplanted Africans and African-Germans in the area. You can buy handmade African-style crafts, such as rugs, jewelry, clothing and statues. There's plenty of African-style food, both freshly made and ready-to-take home and you'll find plenty of beer and alcohol for sale as well.

Besides the shopping and eating, you can watch an African musical and dance performance, participate in a drumming workshop and get a look at artwork by famed African artists. There's also a children's area, where kids can participate in crafts and musical experiences.