Gengenbach Old Town Festival 2026

Town Festival in one of Southern Germany's most beautiful old towns

On Sunday, July 5, 2026, the Gengenbach Civic Guard invites you to the traditional Old Town Festival in the historic city center of Gengenbach — the former Imperial City at the entrance to the Kinzig Valley in the central Black Forest. The picturesque old town around the market square with the town hall, the "Engelpräludium" of the corner houses, and the half-timbered facades form the festival backdrop. One of the most charming and, at the same time, smallest old town festivals in the region.

The Gengenbach Civic Guard — Organizer with Tradition

The Gengenbach Civic Guard e.V. is the central organizer of the Old Town Festival. The Civic Guard traces its roots back to Gengenbach's Imperial City tradition — the city was a Free Imperial City from 1366 to 1803 — and cultivates this tradition with historical uniforms, a banner, and its own club culture. The association is one of Gengenbach's oldest and most active clubs and organizes the Old Town Festival with great volunteer commitment.

Catering, Music, Black Forest Atmosphere

The festival program follows the classic old town festival format: catering stands of the Civic Guard and Gengenbach associations line the area around the market square and in the adjacent alleys. Black Forest specialties such as Schäufele, Brägele, Bibeleskäs, and of course, Baden wines characterize the culinary offerings. Live music on the market square and in the festival tents — from brass band classics to cover bands and local music clubs — creates the atmosphere.

Gengenbach — Imperial City in the Central Black Forest

Gengenbach, with around 11,000 inhabitants, is a town in the Ortenau district, located at the entrance to the Kinzig Valley in the central Black Forest. The excellently preserved half-timbered old town with its narrow alleys, the baroque town hall, St. Marien Church, and the patrician houses from the Imperial City era make Gengenbach one of Southern Germany's most beautiful small towns. The town gained worldwide fame through the Gengenbach Advent Calendar — the annual transformation of the town hall facade into an XXL Advent calendar with 24 artistically designed windows. The Old Town Festival on the first Sunday in July is the summer contribution to the city's event calendar.

Enjoyment against the Black Forest Backdrop

What makes the Gengenbach Old Town Festival special is not its size — but its atmosphere. Anyone enjoying their Bibeleskäs and a glass of Baden wine in one of the narrow alleys in front of a half-timbered house, with a view of the historic city wall and the surrounding Black Forest hills, will understand why the festival has been a fixed date in the region's event calendar for decades. An event without commercial showmen, supported by the commitment of the Civic Guard and local associations.