21st Bach Festival Arnstadt
High-calibre Baroque music in Thuringia's oldest Bach town with the motto «Fürstliches Vergnügen» (Princely Pleasure)
About Bach Festival Arnstadt
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Bach Festival in Thuringia's Oldest Bach Town
The Bach Festival Arnstadt is one of Thuringia's central Baroque music festivals and will celebrate its 21st edition in 2026 under the motto «Fürstliches Vergnügen». Arnstadt is the oldest of Thuringia's Bach towns — Johann Sebastian Bach worked here as organist at the present-day Bach Church from 1703 to 1707, and the town offers more original sites related to the composer and his family than any other place.
Over 40 Programme Items at Bach's Places of Work
The festival presents a diverse programme with high-calibre concerts and chamber music in the historic Bach House and the Johann Sebastian Bach Church, plus organ tours, thematic guided tours, exhibitions, and the innovative Virtual Bach Experience. The festival thus combines musical performance practice with cultural-historical education at the authentic workplaces of the Bach family.
Part of the Thuringian Bach Weeks
The Bach Festival Arnstadt is a central component of the Thuringian Bach Weeks, Thuringia's largest classical music festival. As part of the cooperation, renowned ensembles and soloists will visit Arnstadt — in 2026, guests will include Concerto Copenhagen, the ensemble Musica Gloria with Nele Vertommen and Beniamino Paganini, and capella arnestati with the Brandenburg Concertos.
«Pay what you can» — Festival for Everyone
A special feature is the «Pay what you can» access model: visitors decide for themselves how much they want to pay. The festival thus focuses on openness and accessibility — Baroque music should be experienceable for everyone, regardless of their wallet. The last edition attracted around 4,000 visitors to more than 40 events.
Arnstadt — The Oldest Bach Town
The district town of Arnstadt in the Ilm district (state of Thuringia) is one of the most beautiful half-timbered towns in Central Germany. In addition to the Bach Church, the Schlossmuseum with the world-famous Puppenstadt «Mon plaisir» (Doll Town «My Pleasure») attracts visitors. The short distance between the festival venues — Bach Church, Bach House, and Traukirche (Church of Marriage) in neighbouring Dornheim — makes the festival a concentrated sonic experience in the historic urban space.
Bach Festival Arnstadt — edition 2026
2026 Edition — Fürstliches Vergnügen (Princely Pleasure)
The 21st edition is themed «Fürstliches Vergnügen», taking courtly musical culture and princely patronage as the guiding principle of the programme. Over 40 programme items are spread across two festival sections: the kick-off for Bach's birthday (March 20/21) and the main programme (April 10-12).
International ensembles will perform: the renowned Danish Baroque orchestra Concerto Copenhagen, the Belgian-Italian ensemble Musica Gloria with Nele Vertommen and Beniamino Paganini, and the Arnstadt-based capella arnestati with Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. The festival remains radically accessible through the Pay-what-you-can model.
Programme Bach Festival Arnstadt 2026
Kick-off: March 20/21, 2026 — Bach's Birthday
- Gala concerts and chamber music in the Johann Sebastian Bach Church
- Birthday special with organ and vocal ensemble
- Opening of the Virtual Bach Experience
Main Programme: April 10-12, 2026
- Friday, April 10, 2026: Concerto Copenhagen — Danish Baroque orchestra, works by the Bach family
- Saturday, April 11, 2026: Musica Gloria with Nele Vertommen and Beniamino Paganini — Chamber music from Bach's courtly environment
- Sunday, April 12, 2026: capella arnestati — Brandenburg Concertos in the Bach House
Accompanying Programme
- Organ tours with thematic guided tours through the Bach Church
- City tours «On the Trail of the Bach Family» in Arnstadt
- Exhibitions on Bach and his time in the Schlossmuseum
- Virtual Bach Experience — interactive multimedia installation
- Concerts in the Traukirche Dornheim (Bach's place of marriage)
The complete detailed programme with all performance times and line-ups is available on bach-festival.de and via the Tourist Information Arnstadt.
Highlights Bach Festival Arnstadt 2026
- 21st edition — Motto «Fürstliches Vergnügen» (Princely Pleasure)
- Over 40 programme items at the original locations: Bach Church, Bach House, Traukirche Dornheim
- Concerto Copenhagen on April 10, 2026
- Musica Gloria with Nele Vertommen and Beniamino Paganini on April 11
- capella arnestati with Brandenburg Concertos on April 12
- Virtual Bach Experience — interactive multimedia installation
- «Pay what you can» — flexible admission model
- Part of the Thuringian Bach Weeks
Prices Bach Festival Arnstadt 2026
«Pay what you can»: Visitors decide for themselves how much they want to pay. Recommended guideline price per concert approx. €25-€35, any contribution is possible. Advance booking at Tourist Information Arnstadt (Markt 1, 03628 602049) and online at bach-festival.de. Box office opens 1 hour before concert start.
Practical information — Bach Festival Arnstadt
Date 2026
Kick-off: March 20-21, 2026 (Bach's birthday). Main programme: April 10-12, 2026.
Venues
Johann Sebastian Bach Church Arnstadt, Bach House, Traukirche Dornheim, and other original locations.
Tickets
«Pay what you can» — visitors decide how much they want to pay. Advance booking via Tourist Information Arnstadt (Markt 1, Tel. 03628 602049, Mon-Fri 10 AM-6 PM, Sat 10 AM-3:30 PM) and online at bach-festival.de. Box office opens 1 hour before the event starts.
Getting There
By train: ICE connection to Erfurt, then regional train to Arnstadt (approx. 20 min). By car: A71 (exit Arnstadt).
Accommodation
In the historic centre of Arnstadt and in the Erfurt region.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place Bach Festival Arnstadt
Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Kirche, Bachhaus und weitere Spielstätten
Markt 1, 99310 Arnstadt