Name: Castle Rock Festival 2026
Start: 2026-07-03T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-07-04T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Schloß Broich

Castle Rock

About Castle Rock

From July 3rd to 4th, 2026, the Castle Rock Festival will bid farewell to the Gothic/Darkwave/Metal stage after 26 years. The 24th and final edition will gather a star-studded lineup at Schloß Broich in Mülheim an der Ruhr: Lord of the Lost and Crematory headline on Saturday, Tanzwut and Nachtblut on Friday, plus Die Legende von Nord, Snow White Blood, Heimataerde, Sagenbringer, Haggefugg, All for Metal, Wisborg, Eigensinn, and Elli Berlin. Tickets from €47.50 (Fri), €58.50 (Sat), €83.50 (2-day pass). The end of one of West Germany's most important dark music events.

Dates 03 Jul — 04 Jul 2026

Venue Mülheim an der Ruhr (05117)

Prices 47.00€ — 84.00€

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Castle Rock — edition 2026

Tickets →

24th and final edition of the Castle Rock Festival at Schloß Broich Mülheim. Headliners Lord of the Lost (Sat), Crematory (Sat), Tanzwut (Fri), Nachtblut (Fri). Other bands: Heimataerde, Sagenbringer, Haggefugg, All for Metal, Wisborg, Eigensinn, Elli Berlin, Die Legende von Nord, Snow White Blood. Tickets from €47.50 (Fri), €58.50 (Sat), €83.50 (2-day).

The final Castle Rock edition in 2026 gathers a star-studded lineup from the German Gothic/Darkwave/Metal scene on July 3rd and 4th at Schloß Broich. With Lord of the Lost as Saturday headliner and Crematory as the second top act, the festival offers a closing performance worthy of its 26-year history. Tanzwut and Nachtblut lead the Friday, complemented by Snow White Blood and Die Legende von Nord. On Saturday, Heimataerde, Sagenbringer, Haggefugg, All for Metal, Wisborg, Eigensinn, and Elli Berlin will also perform.

Highlights Castle Rock 2026

24th and final edition — End of a 26-year festival history
Lord of the Lost and Crematory as Saturday top acts
Tanzwut and Nachtblut on Friday
Schloß Broich as an atmospheric backdrop
Over 13 bands on the final stage

Programme Castle Rock 2026

Friday, July 3rd, 2026 — Doors open 3:00 PM

Tanzwut — Industrial-Medieval
Nachtblut — Dark Metal Berlin
Snow White Blood
Die Legende von Nord

Saturday, July 4th, 2026 — Doors open 11:30 AM, 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Lord of the Lost (Headliner) — Hamburg Dark Rock
Crematory — Pioneers of German Gothic Metal
Heimataerde — Medieval Electro-Industrial
All for Metal — Power Metal Allstars
Sagenbringer
Haggefugg
Wisborg
Eigensinn
Elli Berlin

Prices Castle Rock 2026

Friday ticket from €47.50, Saturday ticket from €58.50, 2-day festival ticket from €83.50. Tickets via adticket.de or reservix.de. Children under 13 accompanied by parents are free.

Practical information

Practical information — Castle Rock

Getting There

Schloß Broich is a 15-minute walk from Mülheim Hauptbahnhof. Take tram 102 (stop Schloß Broich). By car, take the A40 (exit Mülheim) or A52.

Tickets

From €47.50 (Fri), €58.50 (Sat), €83.50 (2-day pass) at adticket.de or reservix.de.

Tip

Since it's the final edition: secure your tickets early, demand will be high. Expect sell-outs for Saturday with Lord of the Lost headlining. Black clothing (of course) and sturdy footwear are recommended — the castle grounds have cobblestones and uneven surfaces.

An Era Ends — 26 Years of Castle Rock

When the last Castle Rock Festival at Schloß Broich kicks off on July 3rd and 4th, 2026, a chapter in German dark music history will close. Since 2002, the festival has made the Mülheim castle backdrop a mandatory annual destination for West Germany's Gothic, Darkwave, and Metal scene. The 24th edition is the last — the organizers are saying goodbye after 26 years.

Star-Studded Lineup for the Finale

Friday, July 3rd, 2026 (Doors open 3:00 PM)

Tanzwut — Industrial-Medieval classics
Nachtblut — Dark Metal from Berlin
Snow White Blood
Die Legende von Nord

Saturday, July 4th, 2026 (Doors open 11:30 AM)

Lord of the Lost — Germany's Eurovision representative 2023, Hamburg-based Dark Rock headliners
Crematory — Pioneers of German Gothic Metal
Heimataerde — Medieval Electro-Industrial
All for Metal — Power Metal Allstars
Sagenbringer, Haggefugg, Wisborg, Eigensinn, Elli Berlin
Performances from 12 PM to 10 PM

Schloß Broich — Atmospheric Setting

Schloß Broich is one of the oldest preserved defensive structures in West Germany — originally from the 9th century. The fortress wall atmosphere, the light sandstone buildings, and the historic courtyards give the festival a stage presence that no interchangeable festival field can provide. This very mix of medieval architecture and modern dark music defines the Castle Rock character.

Tickets, Restrictions, Logistics

Friday Ticket — from €47.50
Saturday Ticket — from €58.50
2-Day Festival Ticket — from €83.50
Tickets via adticket.de
Prohibited: Bottles, glass containers, recording devices, pyrotechnics
Children under 13 accompanied by parents are free
Photos for private use allowed, professional photography forbidden
Wheelchair spaces available (sanitary accessibility limited)

Mülheim an der Ruhr — Industrial Culture Meets Castle

Mülheim is an independent city in the western Ruhr area in North Rhine-Westphalia, located between Essen, Duisburg, and Oberhausen. The city is known nationwide for its industrial history (Mannesmann, Thyssen) and its cultural landscape — Schloß Broich, the Camera Obscura Museum, and the Ringlokschuppen area are its cultural highlights. With the end of Castle Rock in 2026, the city loses one of its most prominent musical brands.