GRASGRÜN — Summer Culture in Meiningen

When the Theatre Closes, the Summer Culture Begins

The Meiningen State Theatre is one of the most important in Thuringia — but during the summer weeks, when the major productions are on hiatus, another format takes over the cultural stage: GRASGRÜN. Since 2012, the city of Meiningen in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district has organized a summer festival that fills the theatre holidays with concerts, readings, and open-air films. The main venue is the courtyard of Elisabethenburg Palace, the residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen — historic walls as a space for sound.

International Diversity in the Baroque Palace Courtyard

Over the years, artists from around 16 countries have performed under the GRASGRÜN label. The musical spectrum is broad: soul, jazz, classical, world music, singer/songwriter, dialect music, and organ concerts share the stage. The palace courtyard, partially covered and acoustically like a natural concert hall, shapes the sound experience. When the weather is good, the adjacent palace park is also used. Film nights at the end of the season transform the courtyard into an open-air cinema.

More Than Concerts: Wine Festival and Dialect Music

Several recurring formats characterize the festival. The Meiningen Wine Festival, taking place for the third time in 2026, brings winemakers from German growing regions to the palace courtyard. The evening "Hautnah" focuses on Thuringian and Franconian dialect music. Additionally, there are jazz formats like David Helbock's Random/Control with singer Fola Dada and Latin programs like Román y sus Timberos — and always programs for children under the Youkali label.

Meiningen Organ Summer in Parallel

Parallel to the GRASGRÜN program, the Meiningen Organ Summer runs in July and August with weekly concerts at the Meiningen town church: large organ concerts on Wednesday evenings, matinees on Saturday afternoons. A second festival pillar that puts the historic organ of the town church in the spotlight.

Meiningen: Theatre City in Southern Thuringia

Meiningen, with its approximately 25,000 inhabitants, is located in the state of Thuringia, in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district, nestled between the Thuringian Forest and the Rhön. The historic city center with Elisabethenburg Palace, the State Theatre, baroque townhouses, and several museums is easily accessible via the Erfurt — Würzburg railway line. A concert trip to GRASGRÜN can therefore be easily combined with a city walk, a theatre visit (during the season), or hikes in the surrounding area.