Name: Carillon & Percussion Festival Aschaffenburg 2026
Start: 2026-06-20T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-28T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Schloss Johannisburg (Innenhof) und weitere Spielorte

Carillon & Percussion

About Carillon & Percussion

The Carillon & Percussion Festival in Aschaffenburg focuses on the carillon in the east tower of Schloss Johannisburg — 48 bells, cast by Eijsbouts in 1969, at a height of 62 meters. International carillonneurs play the instrument; the concerts are streamed live to an LED screen in the castle courtyard, allowing the audience to see and hear the performers. In addition, there are percussion concerts at renowned venues and performances by the Aschaffenburg Handbell Choir with arrangements from classical to pop. The festival was founded in 2022 by the Aschaffenburg Cultural Office.

Dates 20 Jun — 28 Jun 2026

Venue Aschaffenburg (09661)

Prices —

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Carillon & Percussion — edition 2026

The Carillon & Percussion Festival 2026 will take place from June 20 to 28, 2026. International carillonneurs will play the 48-bell carillon of Johannisburg Castle, with concerts broadcast to an LED screen in the castle courtyard. This will be complemented by percussion concerts at renowned venues and performances by the Aschaffenburg Handbell Choir.

The 2026 edition is scheduled by the Aschaffenburg Cultural Office for the period of June 20 to 28, 2026. For several days, the carillon in the east tower of Johannisburg Castle will sound with international guest performances; the concerts will be streamed live to the LED screen in the castle courtyard. The program will be supplemented by percussion concerts and performances by the Aschaffenburg Handbell Choir. The complete detailed program with artists and times will be published by the Cultural Office.

Highlights Carillon & Percussion 2026

International carillonneurs at the 48-bell carillon of Johannisburg Castle
Live broadcast on LED screen in the castle courtyard — performers audible and visible
Percussion concerts at Stadttheater, Stadthalle, and Ridingersaal
Aschaffenburg Handbell Choir performing classical, jazz, and pop
Renaissance backdrop of Johannisburg Castle on the Bavarian Lower Main

Programme Carillon & Percussion 2026

Festival Structure June 20–28, 2026

Carillon concerts with international carillonneurs on the carillon of Johannisburg Castle
Live broadcast of carillon concerts via stream to the LED screen in the castle courtyard
Percussion concerts at renowned venues (Stadttheater, Stadthalle, Ridingersaal)
Performances by the Aschaffenburg Handbell Choir — arrangements from classical to jazz and pop
Automatic carillon playing mechanisms daily at 9:05 AM, 12:05 PM, and 5:05 PM

Detailed program with artists, venues, and times at kulturamt-aschaffenburg.de.

Prices Carillon & Percussion 2026

Carillon concerts in the castle courtyard are generally free to attend. Individual percussion concerts at the Stadttheater/Stadthalle require separate tickets — current prices are available from the Aschaffenburg Cultural Office.

Practical information

Practical information — Carillon & Percussion

Getting There

Aschaffenburg main station is on the Frankfurt–Würzburg line (RE/RB, IC); from the station to Schloss Johannisburg, it's about a 15-minute walk or a short city bus ride. By car, take the A3 (Aschaffenburg-Ost/West exit), with parking garages available in the city center.

Admission

Carillon concerts in the castle courtyard are generally free to attend; individual percussion concerts at the Stadttheater/Stadthalle require separate tickets. Current prices are available from the Aschaffenburg Cultural Office.

Accommodation

Hotels are available in Aschaffenburg's city center and around Schlossplatz.

Contact

Aschaffenburg Cultural Office, Schlossplatz 4, 63739 Aschaffenburg. Program details at kulturamt-aschaffenburg.de/unsere-festivals/carillon-percussion.

Carillon & Percussion Festival — Bell Sounds Over Aschaffenburg

The Carillon & Percussion Festival is a young music festival in the city of Aschaffenburg, an independent city on the Bavarian Lower Main in the Lower Franconia administrative region. It was established in 2022 by the Aschaffenburg Cultural Office and takes place annually in June. At its heart is a rarely heard instrument: the carillon in the east tower of the Renaissance castle Johannisburg.

The Carillon of Johannisburg Castle

The carillon was cast in 1969 by the Dutch bell foundry Eijsbouts and hangs at a height of around 62 meters in the east tower of the castle. It consists of 48 bells with a total weight of about 2.175 tons — the largest bell weighs 271 kg, the smallest only 10 kg. Automatic playing mechanisms sound daily at 9:05 AM, 12:05 PM, and 5:05 PM.

Concerts with International Carillonneurs

During the festival, international carillonneurs play the instrument live. Since the carillon is hidden high in the tower, the concerts are broadcast via live stream to a large LED screen in the castle courtyard — allowing the audience to watch the performers at the keys and pedals while the sound floats over the castle square.

Percussion and Handbell Choir

In addition to the carillon, the festival features percussion concerts held at renowned venues such as the Stadttheater, Stadthalle, and Ridingersaal. The Aschaffenburg Handbell Choir also performs, playing arrangements from classical music to jazz and pop. Thus, the festival combines the archaic sound world of bells with contemporary percussion artistry.

Organizers and Sponsors

The organizer is the Aschaffenburg Cultural Office. The festival is supported by, among others, Sparkasse Aschaffenburg-Miltenberg and the Bezirk Unterfranken, and is part of the city's cultural summer program on the Bavarian Lower Main.