Arnstadt City Festival

«Dein Arnscht» — Largest City Festival in the Ilm District

For three decades, the Arnstadt City Festival has been the social highlight in the festival calendar of Thuringia's oldest city — Arnstadt was first documented in 704 and is thus considered the oldest documented city in Thuringia. Under the motto «Your City. Your Festival. Your Arnscht» (Arnstadt is colloquially known as «Arnscht»), around 45,000 visitors gather for a packed three-day program. The city center around the market square, Hopfenbrunnen, and Bach Church becomes a festival area, with traffic widely cordoned off.

8 Stages, 10 Activity Zones, 200+ Artists

The scale of the festival is impressive: 8 stages throughout the city center — from the main stage at the market square to the Bach Church stage and smaller stages in side streets and courtyards. Over the three festival days, more than 200 artists perform on the stages: cover bands, solo artists, DJs, dance groups, marching bands, regional choirs, comedy acts. 10 activity zones complement the stage program — street food areas, showman's stalls, children's play areas, live sports performances. In total, around 250 vendors, showmen, and caterers are involved — from snack stands to market stalls with handicrafts.

Ferris Wheel, Trabant Lifting, and Bach Church

Two highlights stand out particularly. The Ferris wheel on the market square offers views over the historic old town — over the Bach Church, where Johann Sebastian Bach worked as organist from 1703–1707, over the Liebfrauenkirche, and towards the distant Wartburg Castle on the horizon. And the Thuringian Championship in Trabant Lifting — a nostalgic GDR element: teams from clubs and companies compete to lift an old Trabant (weight: around 615 kg) for as long as possible. A spectacle with a comedic character, celebrating Arnstadt's East German heritage. Bungee trampoline and children's carousels complete the offerings.

Night Market and Sunday Shopping

On Friday and Saturday evenings, a night market takes place — market stalls remain open late into the night, lighting creates a special atmosphere, and the stages play until after midnight. On Sunday, the downtown shops are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (verkaufsoffener Sonntag — Sunday shopping) — ideal for festival visitors who want to combine their festival visit with a stroll through the city. A quieter festival zone is located around the Bach Church with the Wine Terrace: tables and benches, wine service, classical music — a counterpoint to the loud main stage.

2026 — 34th City Festival with Leslie Clio

Singer-songwriter Leslie Clio is announced as the headliner for 2026 for Saturday evening (September 5th). Clio gained international fame with songs like «I Couldn't Care Less» and represents self-determined, modern pop music. Her performance on the main stage is one of the musical highlights of the festival — complemented by many other cover bands, regional acts, and DJ sets until late at night.