Events and festivals in Hesse on the weekend of September 19-20, 2026: the 20th Kassel Marathon, North Hesse's biggest sporting event, runs through Kassel while Lorsch merges its Kerb fair with a historic tobacco festival.
Twenty years, one route across half a city. In Kassel, on September 19, 2026, the twentieth Kassel Marathon sets off through the streets of the self-styled documenta city.
The 20th Kassel Marathon through the documenta city
The Kassel Marathon runs from September 18 to 20, 2026. It counts as North Hesse's biggest sporting event, for the 20th time.
Four distances are on offer: the main marathon, the half marathon, the relay marathon and the mini marathon. A 21-kilometre walking route runs alongside them on its own course through the city.
Over three days, these races share the same streets of Kassel. The finish line in the Auestadion awaits on the weekend of September 19 and 20.
The route starts at Damaschkestraße. It cuts straight through the documenta city, passing Waldau, Wesertor and Nordholland, then the town hall, the Staatstheater and the university, before reaching the finish in the Auestadion. This course turns the run into a tour of the addresses that shape Kassel's identity as the documenta city.
Kassel has carried that nickname since its documenta exhibitions. For one day, the marathon turns the city centre's landmark addresses into its backdrop, before the finish line inside the stadium closes the loop. Main race, relay or mini marathon: the runners meet again at the end. They share that same finish straight in the Auestadion, where the event traditionally ends.
The rest of the weekend in Hesse
In Wiesbaden-Delkenheim, the Delkenheimer Kerb gets under way. Also known as the Delgemer Edelweiß-Kerb and organised by the KG Delgemer Edelweiß association, it turns the district into a festival mile from September 18 to 20, with a church service at the Ländchesdom, live music, food, rides and a Sunday-afternoon procession. In neighbouring Medenbach, tradition runs deep. The Kerbegesellschaft Rote Rosen Medenbach association, keeping up a tradition of generations in the Hessian Vortaunus, hosts the Medenbacher Kerb the same weekend, with a keg tapping on Friday, a themed evening with the band Hit Connection and a playback show on Saturday, and a Sunday brunch with comedy and a family programme.
Further south lies Lorsch, on the Bergstraße. In this UNESCO World Heritage town, the Lorscher Kerb mit Tabakfest combines from September 19 to 21, as the only folk festival in South Hesse to do so, the traditional church fair with the historic tobacco harvest festival, complete with a beer and wine village, carousel races, a procession and music through the old town. In Groß-Umstadt, the Umstädter Winzerfest wine festival gets under way. On the market square between the town hall and the castle, it reaches its 78th edition, with wine stands from the growers of the Odenwald wine island, a coronation evening for the wine queen on Saturday and a parade that in 2026 runs for the first time in the reverse direction through town.
In Frankfurt, the Herbst-Dippemess sets up. It runs until September 27 on the Festplatz am Ratsweg, the more compact and family-friendly autumn edition of one of Germany's oldest documented folk festivals, dating back to 1325, with fairground rides, Eppelwoi cider and family activities. In Kassel, it's the turn of the Stadtteilfest Wesertor. On Saturday, it takes over the Finkenherd green space, one of the city's key neighbourhood gatherings north of the Fulda river, with a bouncy castle, a hands-on circus, box climbing, basketball and free entry for the whole neighbourhood.
In Darmstadt, it's time for the Promenadenkonzerte, closing on September 20. Around 25 free open-air concerts spread across seven stages, in the Herrngarten, the Orangeriegarten, Park Rosenhöhe and the Brentanowiese in Kranichstein, spanning brass bands, jazz, salsa and gospel. Local associations, musicians and volunteers keep the series going. On the same day in Wiesbaden, the Kulturtage AKK wraps up its 28th edition. In Amöneburg, Kastel and Kostheim, the summer culture festival of the three districts since 1999 counts more than 50 concerts, exhibitions, readings, cabaret shows, tours and workshops. The Initiativgruppe Kulturtage AKK organises it, with support from the city of Wiesbaden.
The Umstädter Winzerfest is traditionally opened by mayor René Kirch on Friday evening at 9pm. He does so together with the reigning wine queens, before Sunday brings the grand parade through town.