12-Hour Concert Wermelskirchen

A Marathon Concert for the Organ

The 12-hour concert in Wermelskirchen is an extraordinary format in the cultural landscape of the Bergisches Land: Twelve hours of uninterrupted live music in the Ev. Stadtkirche (Town Church) on the market square — from 11 AM to 11 PM. On Saturday, August 29, 2026, the church will transform into a concert hall where numerous musicians, bands, and choirs will play their sets one after another.

Occasion — Renovation of the Town Church Organ

Behind the marathon is a clear objective: The renovation and expansion of the organ of the Ev. Stadtkirche Wermelskirchen. The funds required are considerable, and the church community — supported by the association 'wir für ekwk' (wir für die Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Wermelskirchen) — is organizing the concert as a central benefit event. All proceeds will go directly to the organ work.

Program — Twelve Hours, Diverse Genres

The appeal of the format: The genres change hourly. Those who come in the morning will hear chamber orchestras, classical soloists, and small ensembles. In the afternoon, choirs take over — the local church choir, gospel choirs from the Bergisches Land, a cappella groups. In the evening, bands perform — folk, pop cover bands, singer-songwriters. The concert atmosphere shifts — from contemplative in the morning to lively in the evening — and it is precisely this range that makes the format unique.

Parallel: Small Market in Front of the Church

A small art and craft market will be set up in front of the town church. Exhibitors will sell handmade products, food, and items — the proceeds will also go to the organ fund. The 12-hour concert is integrated into the Wermelskirchen Herbstkirmes (Autumn Fair), which runs concurrently in the town center.

Wermelskirchen — Town in the Bergisches Land

Wermelskirchen is located in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis (Rhineland-Bergisches District), about 25 kilometers east of Cologne and 30 kilometers from Düsseldorf, in the middle of the hilly Bergisches Land. With around 35,000 inhabitants, the town is characterized by its craft tradition — it was the center of the Bergisches cloth industry and has an architecturally rich town center with the Ev. Stadtkirche at its heart.

Free Admission — The Value is the Willingness to Donate

The concept is based on trust: Free admission, donations welcome. Those who pop into the church between three concerts during the day might give €5; those who stay all day and experience all 12 hours will give more. Experience from previous years shows: those who come once, return.