City Open-Airs Völklingen

A Saarland Summer Tradition

The City Open-Airs Völklingen are among the oldest and most popular free open-air concert series in the Saarland. Since 1999, the city of Völklingen, the economic development agency GWIS, and the cultural association KulturGut e.V. Völklingen have organised seven Thursday evenings in midsummer with live music under the open sky.

The Church Garden as a Stage

The venue is the St. Eligius Church garden in the middle of Völklingen's city centre - a green courtyard with old trees, framed by the parish church and neighbouring houses. The acoustics are good, the atmosphere is cosy, and as soon as the sun disappears behind the rows of houses, a pleasant summer mood hangs over the garden.

What You'll Hear

The musical spectrum is deliberately broad: Rock, Pop, Blues, Funk, Jazz, Soul, Reggae - from established Saarland bands to national acts. Examples from the 2025 programme: Favourite Mistake, Bruise Brassers, Dreierpasch, Elliot, Teamwork, Alligators, and Fooling around. Over 1,000 visitors per concert are not uncommon - and that without anyone paying admission.

Völklingen — A City with Industrial Culture

Völklingen is the second-largest city in the Saarbrücken Regional Association and is primarily known for the Völklingen Ironworks, the only ironworks in the world declared a UNESCO World Heritage site for industrial culture. The City Open-Airs are the opposite promise: not industrial past, but vibrant present in the church garden in the city centre.

Sponsorship

The open-airs were initiated by KulturGut Völklingen, a cultural association that has been committed to local music culture since the mid-nineties. Today, the series is supported by the city and GWIS, with KulturGut remaining a cooperation partner.