ESTiVAL Esslingen 2026

Two Weeks of Enjoyment in the Shadow of Esslingen's Old Town

ESTiVAL — a play on words from 'Esslingen' and 'Festival' — has been a summer classic in the Stuttgart region for years. From August 1st to 13th, 2026, the Rathausplatz in the historic center of Esslingen will transform into a culinary wonderland under the motto 'A Summer Full of Enjoyment'. For the first time, the festival will take place at the Rathausplatz due to ongoing renovations of its usual marketplace — a direct neighbor, the historic charm remains.

Seven Restaurateurs Under One Festival Tent Roof

The concept is extraordinary: Seven regional gastronomy businesses each get their own festively decorated tent on the Rathausplatz, offering their specialties for two weeks. Currles Culinarium is dedicated to freshly pan-swirled Kässpätzle, prepared in real Gunzesried cheese wheels. Der Rote Hirsch presents modern Swabian interpretations of Maultaschen, lentils, and Spätzle. Galleria Zeus brings Mediterranean Greek cuisine with souvlaki, gyros, and grilled fish. Other stalls serve international dishes, vegetarian and vegan options, fresh pasta, and salads. The concept resembles a permanent street food stage, only that the providers are established restaurateurs.

Esslingen Wine and Kessler Sparkling Wine

Esslingen is Württemberg's northernmost wine-growing town — Trollinger, Lemberger, and Riesling vines grow directly below the old town walls. At ESTiVAL, Esslingen's winemakers are represented with their own stalls. A special treat: Sparkling wine from Kessler, Germany's oldest sparkling wine producer, founded in 1826 by Carl Kessler from Heilbronn in Esslingen. The winery celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2026 — accordingly, Kessler sparkling wine is considered a festival highlight in 2026.

Live Music and Street Art

Bands and solo musicians perform on the central stage every festival day. The program ranges from jazz and soul to singer-songwriters and acoustic folk, to Swabian folk music and Mediterranean bistro music. Parallel to the live acts, there are performances by street artists — jugglers, magicians, acrobats, mime artists. Family programs on weekends with face painting, puppet theater, and a children's sports station. City tours through Esslingen's famous medieval old town (Germany's oldest half-timbered house, built in 1262, stands here) and through wine culture complement the program.

Sustainable Through Reusables

A particularly nice feature of ESTiVAL is its reusable policy. The festival uses crockery and cutlery made from real materials — absolutely no single-use plastic. The festival thus saves about 3.5 tons of plastic waste per season. A concept that other summer festivals in the greater Stuttgart area have now also adopted, but which is implemented particularly consistently at ESTiVAL.