150 Years Music Association Stadtkapelle Murrhardt — Anniversary Festival

A Century and a Half of Brass Music in the Heart of Murrhardt

The Musikverein Stadtkapelle Murrhardt 1876 e.V. — known as "MSM" or "Blechstreet-Boys" on the summer festival posters — is one of the oldest music associations in the Rems-Murr district and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2026. The Stadtkapelle was founded in the spring of 1876 in the Upper Swabian imperial city of Murrhardt by craftsmen and laborers and has since accompanied almost all of the city's social events — town festivals, homeland days, solstice celebrations, and welcome concerts for newly elected mayors.

Three-Day Anniversary Festival on the Market Square

From Friday, July 10, 2026, to Sunday, July 12, 2026, Murrhardt's market square will transform into a festival mile. The main stage in front of the baroque town hall will be the central point, with festival tents and stands extending towards Karlstraße and the town church. Admission to the market square is free — only seating tickets will be sold for the festival evening on Saturday, featuring the "Große Galanacht der Blasmusik" (Grand Gala Night of Brass Music). Catering will be provided by the associations of the Murrhardt community ring.

Program: Concerts, Frühschoppen, and Ceremonial Act

The opening on Friday evening will feature a joint torchlight procession of several guest bands through Murrhardt's old town, followed by a welcome concert on the market square. Saturday is dedicated to the ceremonial act: a festive speech by the mayor, honors for long-standing members by the Württemberg Brass Music Association, and the festival concert by the Stadtkapelle with works by Kühnl, Schwertberger, and Sparke. Sunday begins with the Frühschoppen from 11 a.m. (festive church service on the market square, followed by catering and concerts) and concludes in the late afternoon with the traditional festival procession.

Guest Bands from the Rems-Murr District

Guest bands from the region — typically music associations from Backnang, Sulzbach an der Murr, Spiegelberg, Großerlach, Mainhardt, and Oberrot — will liven up the festival mile with guest performances on the market square stage. Friendly associations from the Schwäbisch Hall region and from the outskirts of Stuttgart will also travel to attend. The Swabian brass music scene is known for being particularly dense and tradition-bound.

Murrhardt — City on the Limes and Gateway to the Swabian Forest

Murrhardt is located in the Rems-Murr district on the southern edge of the Swabian Forest and boasts a history of over 1,250 years — the town originated as a Roman Limes fort and is now a stop on the UNESCO World Heritage Limes trail. The Walterichkirche ensemble and the medieval town hall characterize the old town; the market square itself is the stage for all city festivals. The 2026 Anniversary Summer Festival features three major milestones in Murrhardt with the traditional town festival, the homeland day, and now the 150th-anniversary festival of the Stadtkapelle.