Bad Herrenalber Klosterfest

Bad Herrenalb — Spa town and monastery city in the Black Forest

Bad Herrenalb, one of the oldest spa town foundations in Southern Germany, is located in the northern Black Forest in the Calw district, nestled between the valleys of the Alb and Falkensteinstraße. The ruins of the Cistercian monastery Herrenalb, founded in 1149, shape the townscape and identity. The monastery quarter around Klosterstraße is the heart of the old town and the venue for the annual Klosterfest — August 1st and 2nd, 2026. Tourism and City Marketing Bad Herrenalb organize the festival, which traditionally ranks among the region's most popular summer festivals.

Delicacies and Traditional Products

The focus is on a colorfully decorated promenade along Klosterstraße with stands from regional exhibitors. Offered are "all sorts of delicacies and traditional products from kitchen and cellar" — wood-fired bread, Black Forest ham and sausage, regional Black Forest cheeses, Baden wines and brandies, honey, liqueurs, and sweet specialties like Black Forest cherry cake. The caterers' stands serve Schäufele, Maultaschen, trout from Black Forest streams, and game. An ice cream parlor from the town center will open a special stand in the Klosterhof.

Medieval Market around the Ruins

The medieval market around the monastery ruins creates a special atmosphere. Encampment groups set up their tents, demonstrate medieval crafts — blacksmithing, felting, bread baking in a clay oven — and wear authentic clothing. Medieval music accompanies the activities, mead and punch are served. The combination of Cistercian monastery history and medieval reenactment invites a journey through time.

Live Music from Regional Bands

On the main stage in the Klosterhof, regional bands perform a varied program: acoustic folk, Black Forest folk music, cover pop, jazz. The stage is small and atmospheric, with the audience sitting under umbrellas in front of straw bales or standing in the front row. On Sunday morning, the Bad Herrenalb brass band traditionally performs a short program in front of the monastery church — a liturgical-musical accent that connects the festival with the spiritual tradition of the place.

Family Program

Families will find a packed program: face painting, craft stations, hands-on workshops on medieval themes (coat of arms painting, coin minting), storytelling, a puppet theater on Sunday afternoon. The spa administration organizes guided walks through the monastery ruins and along the Ammersbach, which relate to Bad Herrenalb's spa tradition. Those who wish can combine their festival visit with a short trip to the Siebentäler Therme or a walk in the spa park.