Chemnitz Wine Festival 2026

Four Weeks of Wine Village in the City Center

The Chemnitz Wine Festival is one of the largest and longest wine festivals in Saxony. From Friday, July 24, to Sunday, August 16, 2026 (24 days continuously), Chemnitz city center opens up as a huge wine village: over 50 vintners from German wine regions (Saxony, Mosel, Pfalz, Rheingau, Franconia, Baden) as well as international exhibitors (Italy, Spain, France, Austria) will set up their stalls on Marktplatz, Neumarkt, and Jakobikirchplatz. Organizer: Weinfest Chemnitz in cooperation with the city initiative chemnitz.city.

The Windmill — Landmark 2026

The trademark of the Chemnitz Wine Festival is the 20-meter-high walkable windmill on Marktplatz — an impressive wooden construction that is specially erected for the wine festival each year. The windmill is accessible up to the upper platform, offering views of Marktplatz and the city center. The sails turn slowly, a café at the base offers wine and snacks, and in the evening, the mill is illuminated, shaping the cityscape.

Opening with the Saxon Wine Queen

The wine festival opens on Friday, July 24, 2026, with a festive ceremony featuring the Saxon Wine Queen and political dignitaries from Saxony — traditionally, the Minister President of the Free State of Saxony is present and takes the first sip. The Wine Queen wears a crown and sash and represents Germany's northernmost, small wine region — the Saxon wine-growing area around Meißen, Radebeul, and Pirna.

Daily Program and Themed Nights

Throughout the four weeks, a packed program runs daily. Live music on the main stage at Marktplatz: cover bands, singer-songwriters, Schlager, and jazz acts. Tea dance every Tuesday and Thursday from 3 PM — with dance music from the 50s to 80s, popular with the 55+ generation. Children's fair on Sundays from 11 AM to 5 PM with carousels, a bouncy castle, and interactive stations. The wine lounge at Jakobikirchplatz hosts changing themed evenings: France Night with French wines, croissants, and live accordion; Italy Night with Tuscan and Sicilian wines, antipasti, and Italo-pop; Spanish, Austrian, and Saxon themed evenings.

Opening Hours

Friday and Saturday: 11:00 AM – 0:30 AM. Sunday to Thursday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM. The extended opening hours allow for relaxed lingering — from a glass of wine after a city stroll, to dinner with accompaniment, to the nighttime ambiance with the illuminated windmill.

Chemnitz — European Capital of Culture 2025

In 2025, Chemnitz was the European Capital of Culture, together with Nova Gorica/Gorizia. The 2026 Wine Festival benefits from the momentum of the Capital of Culture year and is set within a city center that has undergone fundamental changes in recent years. The Karl Marx Monument (“Nischel”), the Roter Turm (Red Tower), the Museum of Industry, and Villa Esche (Henry van de Velde architecture) provide the backdrop for the festival.