Festival season 2026: What visitors can look forward to

As the temperatures rise, many festival fans are looking forward to good music, camping and partying. People can look forward to these major festivals in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia in 2026:

Wave-Gotik-Treffen der Schwarzen Szene in Leipzig mit Kim Wilde

The Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig is inviting fans of the scene for the 33rd time this year. From 22 to 25 May, the organizers are expecting around 20,000 visitors. They can look forward to a good 200 events at 40 different locations in and around Leipzig. Music from all genres of the dark scene will be on offer - including gothic rock, electro, dark wave, medieval rock and industrial.

The "Einstürzende Neubauten" and 80s icon Kim Wilde will be performing for the first time. "She will be a splash of color in the otherwise rather dark scene," emphasized festival spokesman Cornelius Brach. A ticket for all four days costs 190 euros in advance.

Rock at the Firebirds Festival in Grimma - Dick Brave at the pre-party

Visitors can immerse themselves in the lifestyle of the 50s and 60s at the Firebirds Festival in Nimbschen Monastery near Grimma. From July 3 to 5, there will be more than 30 rock n' roll concerts as well as a vintage car meet-up, fashion shows, a record fair and numerous workshops. A ticket for all three days costs 120 euros at the box office. Camping is also possible on the nearby grounds. One highlight is the pre-party on July 2 with Dick Brave.

Highfield at Störmthaler See near Leipzig

Summer feeling with swimming on the sandy beach and your favorite music is guaranteed at the Highfield Festival at Störmthaler See near Leipzig. The line-up features national and international stars from the indie rock, hip-hop and pop scene. After a break of a few years, the Chemnitz band Kraftklub will be back to heat up the crowd. SDP, Beatsteaks, Lumpenpack and Marteria have also been announced. The festival pass for the whole weekend costs 149 euros.

Dancing and camping under excavators in Ferropolis

The excavator town of Ferropolis near Gräfenhainichen is the venue for various festivals. Festival highlights include the electronic HIVE music festival from June 19 to 21. Fans of techno, trance and hardstyle will get their money's worth around the 10 stages, as the organizers announced. Germany's biggest hip-hop festival "Splash!" is scheduled for July 2 to 4. Among others, Beslik, Ceren, SSIO and 102 Boyz have been announced. The Whole Festival from 17 to 20 July is dedicated to the queer electronic underground scene.

"Rock im Garten"

Every year, a punk rock festival named after the venue is organized on a voluntary basis in the small town of Rohrsheim on the border with Lower Saxony: "Rock im Garten". This year, it will take place on July 18, with camping and a warm-up party starting the day before.

Kulturarena Jena

If you fancy a festival feeling without having to spend a long weekend camping, you can attend individual concerts at the Kulturarena in Jena. From July 8 to August 23, a wide variety of bands and individual artists can be experienced there. Les Négresses Vertes, the indie pop group Buntspecht and bassist and singer Nik West will be playing on the theater forecourt. The concerts by "Bosse" and "Von Wegen Lisbeth" are already sold out. Ticket prices vary depending on the concert; they are cheaper in advance than at the box office.

Rudolstadt Festival

From July 2 to 5, Rudolstadt will be the place to be for fans of roots, folk and world music. Acts can be experienced on several stages at the 34th Rudolstadt Festival, while selected street musicians will perform in countless corners of the old town. This year's country focus is Austria, including a performance by indie musician RIAN. Dota Kehr will also be there. She will receive the "Ruth" world music prize. Combi-tickets are available for camping guests, a season ticket without camping costs 132 euros. Discounts are available for children and young people; children under the age of 7 are admitted free of charge.

Star DJs and Ikkimel at SonneMondSterne

Followers of electronic music in particular are likely to have already marked the time from August 7 to 9 in their calendars. That's when the 28th edition of SonneMondSterne (SMS) will take place at the Bleilochtalsperre dam near Saalburg. According to the organizers, the performance by world-famous DJ Skrillex will be a special "hit". The extensive line-up also includes Paul Kalkbrenner and rapper Ikkimel. The permanent tickets, including a five-day camping pitch, cost a total of around 250 euros per person.