39. Grafenauer Frühling

A Cultural Series with History

Grafenau is located in the Freyung-Grafenau district in the Bavarian Forest — directly on the Bavarian Forest National Park. The town has around 8,500 inhabitants and sees itself as a cultural anchor in the southern Bavarian Forest. The Grafenauer Frühling has been the city's most important cultural series since 1988; organized by the Kulturverein Grafenau in cooperation with the VHS Freyung-Grafenau, the series runs annually for about four weeks.

2026 — Double Anniversary

The 39th edition in 2026 is particularly charged: the 50th anniversary of the Schardig-Grafenau town partnership (Schardig = Schärding am Inn in Austria) will be celebrated simultaneously, and the city of Grafenau celebrates its 650th city anniversary. Both occasions are reflected in the program — from the cross-border art exhibition to kick off the event to festive chamber concerts and readings.

Concerts from Jazz to Classical

The musical spectrum covers all genres: Brassissimo / Ensemble Classique to open with a brass ensemble program and excerpts from West Side Story (40th anniversary tour of the ensemble), I Cantautori with an Italian evening on May 6, a reading about alpine hikes on May 8, and for the grand finale on May 16, the Beatles tribute show by The ReBeatles.

Theatre, Readings, and Cabaret

In addition to concerts, the program includes children's theatre (classically in the afternoons on weekends), readings by regional and national authors, and cabaret evenings. The format is deliberately broad — the series aims to appeal to all culturally interested groups in the Bavarian Forest.

Several Venues

The main venues are the Kulturpavillon BÄREAL (the city's central event space) and the Propst-Seyberer-Mittelschule with its large auditorium. Smaller events take place in the city's galleries and cultural spaces. Tickets are available from the Grafenau Tourist Information Office, Rathausgasse 1 — from free readings to premium concerts for around 35 Euros.