29th Bonn Beer Festival

Bonn — City on the Rhine with Beer Tradition

Bonn, the former federal capital on the Rhine in northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate, is now a UN city, university city, and a charming large city with 330,000 inhabitants. Rhenish beer culture is present here — Kölsch is brewed right next door, but Bonn also has its own breweries and a distinct festival culture. The Bonn Beer Festival has been a firm fixture in the summer calendar since 1997 and is part of the nationwide Beer Festival series.

Freizeitpark Rheinaue — The Festival Setting

The venue is the Freizeitpark Rheinaue on Ludwig-Erhard-Allee in Bonn-Bad Godesberg, south of Bonn's city center on the banks of the Rhine. The 160-hectare park is the green lung of the city — and the Beer Festival meadow, briefly called "Bonn's largest beer garden" during the summer months, offers space for thousands of visitors. For three days, meadows, shade under trees, and small squares transform into a tasting and festival landscape.

Over 500 Types of Beer — A Tasting Tour Around the World

The concept of the Beer Festival: over 50 exhibitors present more than 500 types of beer from Germany and around the world. Classic Bavarian lagers, Franconian Rauchbiere, Kölsch specialties, Belgian Trappists (Westmalle, Chimay, Orval), Dutch and Czech Pilsners, Croatian and Slovenian craft breweries, British ales, Irish stouts, US IPAs — and exotic beers from Singapore, Asia, and Latin America. Those who take beer seriously plan their tasting in advance.

Free Admission — Low Barrier to Entry

Admission to the Beer Festival is free. You only pay for the beer — typically per 0.2 l or 0.3 l tasting glass. This keeps the barrier to entry low, and families can visit without needing to budget for the day. Glass deposit and tables are shared — in the spirit of the Rhenish beer festival tradition.

Opening Hours and Special Program

Friday and Saturday are the main evenings: 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM. Sunday is more relaxed: 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Live bands and cover bands play on stage — typically classic rock, German Schlager, and sing-along hits. Food stalls offer suitable snacks from pretzels and Weißwurst to Currywurst and vegan burgers.

Getting There — Public Transport or Car

The Rheinaue is directly accessible via subway line 16/63/66 at the Rheinaue stop. A 15-minute ride from Bonn city center. Bus lines 610 and 611 also stop at the park. By car: A 562 / A 565 towards Bonn-Süd, then follow signs. Free parking on Ludwig-Erhard-Allee, paid parking nearby.

29 Years of Tradition

The Bonn Beer Festival is in its 29th edition in 2026 — shortly before its anniversary in 2027. It is one of the oldest and largest events in the nationwide Beer Festival series (also held in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz, Berlin, Hamburg) — and at the same time, the largest summer beer festival in Bonn.