Altstadtfest & Mittsommernacht Xanten

Xanten — Roman City on the Lower Rhine

Xanten is a town in the district of Wesel (administrative district of Düsseldorf), located on the Lower Rhine between Duisburg and the Dutch border. Xanten is famous for its Roman past — as Colonia Ulpia Traiana, one of the largest Roman cities north of the Alps, today with the Archaeological Park Xanten (APX), one of Germany's most important Roman sites. In the Middle Ages, Xanten flourished as a market town and bishop's city; the Gothic Xanten Cathedral is one of the largest sacred buildings on the Lower Rhine. The Altstadtfest with Mittsommernacht takes place annually in this special setting.

The Midsummer Night on Friday Evening

The kick-off on Friday, June 19th, 2026, is the heart of the festival weekend: the Midsummer Night. From 6 PM to 11 PM, the entire city center transforms into a "Mediterranean summer night" — shops are open until 11 PM, restaurants set up tables in the squares, accompanied by live music and light installations. Christian Theissen Drums plays in Kurfürstenstraße, the Mixed Age Orchestra Xanten Big Band in Orkstraße. Marsstraße is illuminated with "Lights of Midsummer Night" — an atmospheric light installation that adds extra sparkle to the already late summer twilight on the Lower Rhine. Regional wines, Lower Rhine beers, and gastronomic stands accompany the evening.

Old Town Market on Saturday and Sunday

On Saturday and Sunday (June 20th and 21st), the three-day Old Town Market takes place on Klever Straße — the central shopping street of Xanten's old town: crafts, artisanal products, design items, regional culinary specialties. Over 50 stalls line the street. Open on Saturday from approximately 10 AM to 6 PM, and on Sunday with shops open from 1 PM to 6 PM.

Mediterranean Atmosphere in a Roman-Medieval Setting

What makes the Mittsommernacht Xanten special is the combination of a historically unique backdrop (complete medieval town center, Roman traces, Gothic cathedral) and a Mediterranean-southern festival concept. Tables in the squares, long summer twilight on the Rhine, quiet music in the narrow alleys — the atmosphere is more reminiscent of small Italian towns on the Mediterranean than typical German city festivals. This deliberate staging is the trademark of IGX (Interessengemeinschaft Xanten), which has been organizing the festival for years.

Getting to Xanten

By car via the B 57 or B 58; parking available around the APX and on the outskirts of town. By train: Xanten station on the Duisburg-Xanten line (RB 31 NordWestBahn), about a 10-minute walk to the old town from the station. Approximately 45 minutes by train from Duisburg. On warm summer evenings, it's a perfect weekend destination on the Lower Rhine.