Dreckburg Open Air Salzkotten

Dreckburg Open Air 2026 — Max Giesinger at the Moated Castle

When the Dreckburg, a late medieval moated castle on the outskirts of Salzkotten, becomes an open-air stage, it's a concert event in the Paderborn district: On Friday, July 31, 2026, the 8th edition of the Dreckburg Open Air will take place with headliner Max Giesinger and special act No Angels. Up to 5,000 visitors (4,500 standing + 499 VIP) will fill the meadows in front of the castle — a concert in a unique historical setting.

Max Giesinger — the Pop Singer-Songwriter

Max Giesinger (born 1988 in Waldbronn near Karlsruhe) has been one of Germany's most famous pop singer-songwriters since his appearance on "The Voice of Germany" in 2012. His biggest hit "80 Millionen" (2016) became an anthem of the German pop scene; other successes include "Mein Limit", "Wenn sie tanzt", and "Auf das, was da noch kommt" (duet with Lotte). With his warm, acoustically oriented pop music and authentic lyrics, Giesinger is part of the "new German wave" of the 2010s. At Dreckburg Open Air, his open-air live format with a band and a big sing-along program is in its element.

No Angels — the German R&B Success Story

The No Angels will perform as a special act — the German R&B/pop girl group that emerged from the casting show "Popstars" in 2000 and dominated the German-language charts with hits like "Daylight in Your Eyes", "There Must Be an Angel", and "No Angel (It's All in Your Mind)". After several comebacks (2007, 2021), they remain present in the German pop scene — and in Salzkotten, they are a special act that adds a block of chart classics to the concert.

The Dreckburg — Moated Castle near Salzkotten

The Dreckburg is a late medieval moated castle, which, as local legend has it, is named after a former lord of the castle named "Dreck" (which should, of course, be commented on kindly). In reality, the name comes from the Middle High German "drecke" = swamp or damp terrain — the castle was located in a marshy area that served as its moat. Today, restored and privately owned, the castle is sporadically rented out for open-air concerts and cultural events — the Dreckburg Open Air is its most important annual use. The meadows in front of the castle offer space for about 5,000 listeners; the castle itself forms the illuminated background scenery.

Salzkotten — the "Sälzerstadt" in the Paderborn District

The town of Salzkotten, with its approximately 25,000 inhabitants, is located in the southern Paderborn district, at the transition to the Sauerland region. Known as the "Sälzerstadt" — Salzkotten has produced salt from brine springs since the Middle Ages — and for its Solbad with extensive thermal and wellness facilities. Besides the Dreckburg, the Salz-Siedehaus-Museumsmühle (salt boiling house museum mill), the historic town center, and the Lippe river valley with its hiking trails are worth seeing. Town events like the Sälzerfest and the Dreckburg Open Air shape the event calendar.

Paderborn District — Hochstift, Senne, and Sauerland Foreland

The Paderborn district, in addition to the university city of Paderborn, includes Delbrück, Salzkotten, Bad Wünnenberg, Lichtenau, and Büren — a diverse mix of Hochstift tradition, Senne landscape, and Sauerland foreland. The Dreckburg Open Air is one of the district's most important pop concerts and attracts visitors from the entire Ostwestfalen region.