Festival³ (Festival cubed)
Cross-border Europe Festival in the tri-border area DE–FR–LU
2026
About Festival³
Festival³ — edition 2026
The festival deliberately uses Europe Day as its date – the occasion links the folk festival (Volksfest) with the political message of open borders and lived European neighborliness. The bridge will be closed to traffic, creating a continuous festival corridor from Apach to Schengen.
Highlights Festival³ 2026
- Cross-border Europe Festival on Europe Day
- Apach–Perl–Schengen Moselle Bridge as a festival mile
- Twelve municipalities from three countries (DE, FR, LU)
- Wine, music, arts and crafts, and culinary delights from three cultures
- Free admission
Programme Festival³ 2026
Saturday, May 9, 2026 — Apach–Perl–Schengen Moselle Bridge
- 10:00 AM — Opening on the three main stages DE/FR/LU with speeches by the mayors
- 10:30 AM — Stalls from the twelve municipalities open
- 11:00 AM — Wine tastings with Moselle vintners (Perl, Remich, Sierck)
- 12:00 PM — Culinary lunch program from three cuisines
- 2:00 PM — Concert program on several stages along the bridge
- 3:30 PM — Children's program and horse-drawn carriages
- 5:00 PM — Main concerts with regional bands from DE, FR, LU
- 8:00 PM — Festival winding down with popular music
- 10:00 PM — Festival ends
The full 2026 program will be published in April 2026 on ihochdrei.com and on the Mettlach municipality website.
Prices Festival³ 2026
Free admission. Food and purchases at the stalls.
Practical information — Festival³
Getting There
Perl is located on the Moselle directly on the German-Luxembourgish border, approx. 25 km north of Saarlouis and the same distance south of Trier. By train: Perl station (Trier–Metz line). By car via the A8 (Perl exit) or the A6 from Luxembourg.
Parking
The bridge is closed during the festival. Parking available in Perl, Schengen, and Apach, with shuttle buses or a short walk to the festival grounds.
Admission
Free admission. Food and purchases at the stalls. Euros accepted everywhere; French and Luxembourgish stalls are increasingly accepting cards.
Families
Children's areas along the bridge. Horse-drawn carriages, entertainment, and child-friendly catering.
Three Countries, One Bridge, One Festival
The Moselle bridge between Apach (France), Perl (Saarland), and Schengen (Luxembourg) is more than just a traffic link – it's one of the most tangible symbols of a borderless Europe. A few kilometers away stands the famous Schengen Monument, where the Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985, paving the way for open borders across most of Europe.
The Festival³ (Festival cubed) translates this symbolism into a tangible folk festival (Volksfest): a day when the bridge is closed, stalls stretch across all three countries, music from three languages can be heard, and the border becomes completely invisible for a few hours. The organizer is the i³ – European Economic Interest Grouping, an association of twelve municipalities from the Saarland district of Merzig-Wadern, the French Pays de Sierck, and the Luxembourgish Visit Remich network.
Twelve Municipalities, Three Countries
The i³ municipalities are: Apach, Contz-les-Bains, Rettel, Rustroff, Sierck-les-Bains (France), Perl, Merzig, Mettlach (Germany), and Schengen, Remich, Dalheim, Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxembourg). Each municipality is represented with stalls, clubs, vintners, and restaurateurs. The diversity is immense – Moselle Riesling, Saar Crémant, Luxembourgish classics, Lorraine plum cake (Zwetschgenkuchen), all side-by-side.
Program of Music, Wine, and Culture
Throughout the festival day, the following take place:
- Concerts on several regional stages – folk music, pop, jazz, often featuring bands from the three countries
- Wine tastings with Moselle and Saar vintners (Perl is home to the only Saarland wine region, the "Schengener Lay")
- Arts and crafts stalls from the three countries
- Culinary delights from three cuisines: German Currywurst alongside French Tarte flambée alongside Luxembourgish Bouneschlupp
- Family entertainment: children's areas, club demonstrations, horse-drawn carriages
Free Admission, Clear Message
The festival is free to enter – this is intentional: there should be no entry barrier for a festival celebrating the idea of Europe on a small scale. The third edition in 2026 builds on the successful editions of 2022 (premiere) and 2024.
In the Saar Loop Region
Visitors to the festival are right in the heart of the Saar Loop region – perhaps the most spectacular landscape in Saarland. The famous Saar Loop near Mettlach, the Villeroy & Boch factories, the Roman sites of Borg, the Saarland wine region on the Moselle: all within a maximum 30-minute drive. A perfect occasion for a weekend trip to the tri-border area.
Where it takes place Festival³
Festival³ at a glance
History of Festival³
Edition 2024 May 2024Festivals similar to Festival³
Festivals near Perl
Festival-goer reviews
No comments yet. Be the first!. be the first!
No rating yet
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Each suggestion is reviewed by our team before being published.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Max. 5 photos, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)