Babenhäuser Altstadtfest — Babenhausen Plays!

Babenhausen – Hesse's Little Castle Town

Babenhausen is a small, historic town in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, about 30 km east of Darmstadt. With Babenhausen Castle, the historic Armoury, the restored town church, and the well-preserved old town wall, the town is a small treasure of Hessian architectural history – and it is precisely this backdrop that makes the annual Altstadtfest special.

Motto 2026: “Babenhausen Plays!”

The 2026 edition is dedicated to a conceptual motto: “Babenhausen Plays!”. Play as a connecting element – this includes classic games, creative hands-on activities, rallies through the old town, and larger action and movement games. The idea: the old town becomes a playground, all generations can participate.

Hotspot Tour

The organisers are planning a guided tour through the historic old town with several “hotspots” – each hotspot combines games, catering, and socialising. A town-wide raffle rewards visitors who visit multiple hotspots.

Purely a Club Festival

The Altstadtfest is not a city event, but a festival of the Gremium der Babenhäuser Vereine e. V. – i.e., the over twenty local clubs. They invite caterers, business people, schools, and citizens' initiatives to contribute their own stalls, games, and activity stations. The clubs offer regional and international specialities, plus bands and music groups with everything from traditional to modern music.

Castle and Armoury Open Their Doors

A special feature: Babenhausen Castle opens its doors to visitors during the Altstadtfest, as do the Armoury and the Town Church. This combines a folk festival atmosphere with cultural-historical discovery.