Bautzen Old Town Festival — Water | Art | Light
8th edition of the art and light art festival in Bautzen's medieval old town under the motto «Water | Art | Light»
About Bautzen Old Town Festival
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Eight Years of Art and Light in Bautzen's Old Town
Since its premiere, the Bautzen Old Town Festival has developed into one of Saxony's most distinctive city festivals. Unlike typical folk festivals (Volksfeste) or city festivals (Stadtfeste), the Bautzen festival focuses on artistic staging: light installations, artistic interventions, sound installations, live music, and interactive activities shape the program. The old town itself — with its 17 towers, the town hall, St. Peter's Cathedral, and narrow alleys — becomes a living work of art.
«Water | Art | Light» — the Motto 2026
The 8th edition is under the motto «Water | Art | Light». Three terms, three thematic areas, three artistic currents: Water refers to the Spree River, which flows through Bautzen in several stages and shapes the city; Art refers to the diverse artistic disciplines of the festival; Light refers to the light installations and illuminations that transform the old town into another world after dark.
Ten Venues in the Old Town
The festival uses 10 venues in Bautzen's old town — from the main market square (Hauptmarkt) to the Reichenturm area and the Ortenburg, the mighty castle fortress above the Spree. This distributed staging makes the festival a city walk: visitors move between the venues, rediscover alleys and squares, and meet artists at various points. A festival map / mobile app guides visitors through the venues and provides program times for each location.
Light Installations, Music, Interactive Activities
Various program types are spread across the three festival days: light installations on houses, towers, and the town hall — impressive in the evening and at night; live music on small stages (acoustic, jazz, folk, classical); interactive art activities (hands-on workshops, performance pieces, sound installations that visitors can experiment with); theater and dance at selected venues; culinary highlights with regional specialties from Upper Lusatia.
Bautzen — City of 17 Towers and Sorbian Capital
The independent city of Bautzen / Budyšin, with around 38,000 inhabitants, is the capital of the Bautzen district and the political and cultural center of the Sorbs, the Slavic minority of Upper Lusatia. The old town with its 17 preserved city towers — a unique ensemble in Germany — and the mighty castle above the Spree is a UNESCO World Heritage candidate. The festival makes intensive use of this backdrop — those who find bilingual terms in Sorbian/German in the program will experience the city's multilingualism firsthand.
Bautzen Old Town Festival — edition 2026
2026 Edition — Water, Art, Light
The 8th edition continues the concept that makes the festival unique: instead of a single main stage, ten venues in the old town are used — from daytime events and evening concerts to nighttime light installations. The motto «Water | Art | Light» thematically structures the program: artistic contributions that incorporate one or more of these terms characterize the venues and the overall experience.
The complete program with venue assignments, performance times, and artists will be published in the summer of 2026 by the Bautzen-Budyšin Tourist Information on the festival website. Experience shows that 30–50 artists from Saxony, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany are represented.
Programme Bautzen Old Town Festival 2026
Festival Weekend August 28–30, 2026
Friday, August 28, 2026 — Opening
- Afternoon: Festival opening at the Hauptmarkt
- Evening: First light installations active, concerts at several venues
- Catering by local gastronomy
Saturday, August 29, 2026 — Main Program Day
- Morning: Daytime art activities, workshops
- Throughout the day: Full operation of all 10 venues
- Live music, dance, performance pieces on various stages
- Afternoon: interactive hands-on activities for families
- Evening until late night: Light installations in full effect — Spree, houses, towers, town hall illuminated
Sunday, August 30, 2026
- Morning: Frühschoppen program, acoustic concerts
- Throughout the day: Daytime art activities, closing programs
- Evening: Finale with a grand light installation
Thematic Areas
- Water: Spree installations, water features, sound installations by the water
- Art: visual arts, performance, theater, music in the venues
- Light: light installations on the 17 towers, the town hall, and prominent buildings
Venues (Selection)
- Hauptmarkt — central venue
- Reichenturm area — light and sound installations
- Ortenburg — theater, concerts
- St. Peter's Cathedral forecourt — classical program
- Spreepartie — water-related art
- Other squares and alleys in the old town
Highlights Bautzen Old Town Festival 2026
- 8th edition of the unique city festival in Bautzen under «Water | Art | Light»
- 10 venues in the medieval old town
- Light installations in the evening on towers, town hall, houses
- Live music, interactive art, performance
- Artists from Saxony, Poland, Czech Republic
- Bautzen's 17-tower backdrop as a living work of art
- Free admission to all venues
Prices Bautzen Old Town Festival 2026
Free admission to all venues and program points. Food and drinks at local restaurants and festival stands at usual market prices. Participation in workshops may involve a small fee (typically €5–10).
Practical information — Bautzen Old Town Festival
Date 2026
Friday, August 28 to Sunday, August 30, 2026.
Location
Bautzen Old Town — 10 venues between Hauptmarkt, St. Peter's Cathedral, Reichenturm, Ortenburg, Spreepartie, and more. Hauptmarkt 1, 02625 Bautzen.
Admission
Free.
Getting There
By train on the EuroCity line Dresden — Görlitz — Wrocław to Bautzen, then a 10-minute walk to the old town. By car via the A4 motorway (exit Bautzen-Ost or Bautzen-West).
Tip
The festival unfolds particularly in the evening and at night — the light installations only come into their own then. Allow at least three hours, as the 10 venues are within walking distance. Check the festival map / app beforehand.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Bautzen Old Town Festival al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Bautzen Old Town Festival
Altstadt Bautzen — 10 Veranstaltungsorte
Hauptmarkt 1, 02625 Bautzen