Franconian Beer Festival Nuremberg

Beer Culture in the Castle Moat

The Franconian Beer Festival Nuremberg is one of the largest beer festivals in Franconia and a cultural hallmark of Nuremberg's city center. The venue is the historic castle moat below the Imperial Castle – one of Bavaria's most spectacular festival locations. The organizer is Thomas Landherr with his event concept "Beer Culture in the Castle Moat". The festival has existed since 1999 and has grown from a small gathering with a handful of breweries into a five-day beer culture event.

40 Breweries, 100 Beer Varieties

More than 40 breweries from Franconia, Bavaria, and Belgium will be serving at the beer festival – with over 100 beer varieties. For 2026, four small breweries from Belgium are announced as guest breweries, underscoring the international character of the festival. Classic Franconian specialties such as Lager, Helles, Bock, Rauchbier, Kellerbier, and creative brews from craft beer manufacturers shape the offering.

Music Program on Four Stages

Over the festival days, around 20 bands and a DJ will perform on four (in some sources six) stages. The program ranges stylistically from traditional brass music and Franconian songwriters to rock and Schlager. A special highlight is the parade of the Forst Town Band on Thursday, June 4, 2026 (Corpus Christi), which will march through the castle moat between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

Show Brewery and Children's Program

A mobile show brewery allows visitors to get a glimpse of the brewing process. For families, there is a dedicated interactive program with various activities and play opportunities. Around 20 food stalls offer Franconian specialties, including meat, vegetarian, and vegan options.

Free Admission – Below the Imperial Castle

The festival has the character of an XXL-sized Franconian beer garden – right in the middle of the city, under the ramparts of the Imperial Castle. Admission is free; payment is only at the brewery and food stalls. A glass deposit is collected, as is customary at Franconian beer festivals.

Adjustments 2026

Due to extensive renovation work in the castle moat, the festival activities will partially shift towards the Hallertor in 2026. However, the concept and program structure will remain unchanged. Nuremberg's Lord Mayor Marcus König has strongly advocated for the continuation of the festival after the State Garden Show in Nuremberg in four years.

Nuremberg and Franconian Brewing Tradition

Nuremberg, with around 540,000 inhabitants, is Bavaria's second-largest city and is located in the center of one of Europe's densest brewery landscapes. The surrounding area alone has over 200 breweries – Franconia is the region with the most breweries per capita in the world. The Franconian Beer Festival concentrates this culture into five days of celebration.