Gräfliches Schlossfest Insel Mainau

20 Years of Palace Festival on the Flower Island

Insel Mainau in Lake Constance is one of Europe's most famous garden and park landscapes — managed by the noble Bernadotte family, related to the Swedish royal house, who have curated the island for generations. The Gräfliches Schlossfest is the most exclusive event in the Mainau calendar: once a year, the family opens the 18th-century Baroque palace to the public, presenting its normally closed salons and halls, and curating a four-day experience encompassing fashion, crafts, culinary delights, and island culture. 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of this special occasion.

Hat Fashion Show and Diana Gräfin Bernadotte

A highlight of the festival is the Count's Hat Fashion Show in the White Hall of the palace. For years, Diana Gräfin Bernadotte has run her own millinery studio on the island — a rare and highly valued traditional craft. At the hat fashion show, she presents her latest creations — usually 30 to 50 individual hats and fascinators, modeled by professional models in the historic hall. An event of international caliber, which annually attracts fashion journalists from German-speaking countries to Mainau.

Exclusive Shopping and Palace Rooms

During the four festival days, the palace showcases selected brands and studio exhibitions: bijouterie and jewelry, fashion boutiques with couture pieces, home accessories (table linens, porcelain, candles, glass), antiques, and handicrafts. The selection is consistently high-quality — no mass-produced goods, but selected exhibitors who fit the palace setting. Visitors can enter rooms that are closed all year round: the grand salon, the library, the family dining room, the gallery rooms. Access to the historic wine cellar is part of the program — here, family reserves and wines from the Mainau estate are stored.

Autumn on the Island — A Special Atmosphere

Mainau is world-famous in spring and summer for its flower gardens — tulips, roses, dahlias. In early October, however, the island experiences its autumn phase: colorful foliage, cooler air, fewer day-trippers. This is the atmosphere that makes the Gräfliches Schlossfest special — the island reveals its quiet, contemplative side, the palace takes center stage, and the program focuses on encounters rather than crowds. Lectures on island history, garden insights, and culinary stations with regional products complement the main program. A detailed program will be published a few weeks before the festival on the official Mainau website.