Bretten live — Festival of Good Deeds

27 Years — A Festival That Makes History

Bretten live was founded in 1999 by initiator Uli Lange — with an unusual idea: a festival whose entire proceeds go to charitable causes. What began as a small town festival has now become an established festival date in the Kraichgau region with its 27th edition in 2026. Since its inception, over 5 million euros have been donated to Aktion Mensch e.V. — one of the most significant private donation projects in the German festival landscape.

Festival of Good Deeds — The Concept

The entire proceeds from admission, drinks, and food, after deducting direct event costs, go 100% to the association "Festival der guten Taten e.V." and from there to Aktion Mensch. Aktion Mensch supports projects for people with disabilities, social initiatives, and educational and inclusion projects throughout Germany. Every visitor to Bretten live thus donates through their beer money, through admission, through the bratwurst.

Bretten Market Square as an Open-Air Stage

Bretten's market square — framed by the Bretten town hall, the Gothic city church, and the half-timbered front of the historic old town — offers an extraordinary festival stage. For three days, the square is closed for concerts and festival activities. You experience music here against a medieval backdrop, with the charm of a small town that dedicates itself entirely to a good cause for a weekend.

The Beat Brothers on Sunday Evening

The highlight of 2026 is The Beat Brothers — a Beatles tribute band that brings the songs of the Liverpool legends to the stage with love and skill. Sunday, August 2, 2026, 9:30 PM. In addition, there is a diverse program with pop, rock, reggae, cover, and regional acts. Initiator Uli Lange ensures that the program remains "diverse" — no genre dominates, everyone should find something to their taste.

More Than Just Music

Bretten live is more than a festival — it's a movement. Hundreds of volunteers from Bretten and the surrounding area organize the festival, along with the city of Bretten and the "Festival der guten Taten e.V." The annual donation handover to Aktion Mensch makes it clear what 27 years of commitment can achieve — quality of life for people who would receive little support without these donations.

Bretten — Melanchthon City in the Kraichgau

Bretten, with a good 29,000 inhabitants, is the birthplace of Philipp Melanchthon (1497–1560), the humanist reformer and associate of Luther. The old town with its half-timbered houses, the Melanchthon House, the town hall, the Pfeiferturm tower, and the Gothic collegiate church is worth seeing. Bretten is located in the Kraichgau region, halfway between Karlsruhe and Heilbronn — easily accessible by S-Bahn (S4/S5) and car.