Hanauer Bürgerfest
64th edition on the Main riverbank below Philippsruhe Castle – Theme “Kreisfreiheit” (Freedom from the district)
About Hanauer Bürgerfest
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Hanau's Big City Festival on the Main
The Hanauer Bürgerfest is the traditional city festival of the Brothers Grimm city – an annual highlight in Hanau's event calendar since the early 1960s. The 64th edition in 2026 also falls within the anniversary year “Kreisfreiheit”, during which Hanau (a district-free city again since 2005) is engaging in a self-confident debate about its location. The festival theme alludes to this.
Philippsruhe Castle as a Backdrop
The venue is one of the most beautiful festival backdrops in the Rhine-Main region: the Main meadows at Philippsruhe Castle, a Baroque residence from the early 18th century, set within a spacious park directly on the Main river. The stages are set up in a semicircle in front of the castle, the Main riverbank serves as a sports and water arena, and the orangery houses the children's festival.
Nearly 200 Individual Events
The Bürgerfest is not a classic marquee format, but a packed program with almost 200 individual events over three days. Live music on several stages, sports (water ski show, dragon boat races, pedal boat cup, football tournament, inclusive sports), show acts (roller skating since 1958, traditional Taekwondo), culinary offerings from Hanau clubs and restaurateurs, a historic carousel, and stalls of local artisans. Multimedia presentations on Hanau's post-war reconstruction history complete the cultural segment.
KEKS – The Children's Festival within the Festival
The Kinder-Erlebnis-Kultur-Spektakel (KEKS) is a dedicated children's festival within the Bürgerfest, with completely free admission – even for accompanying adults. In the area around the Orangerie, there are craft and painting stations, a climbing wall, children's theater, and interactive activities. KEKS makes the Bürgerfest financially accessible for young families too.
Dragon Boat and Pedal Boat
Sporting highlights: On Saturday (September 5th, 2026), the dragon boat races start on the Main at 1 p.m., and on Sunday, the pedal boat cup takes place. Both competitions are open to teams from clubs, companies, or groups of friends – registration via the Bürgerfest website. The water ski show by the 1st German Water Ski Show Team with LED performance is another water highlight.
Hanauer Bürgerfest — edition 2026
Three-day city festival with sports, music, and family program on the Main riverbank. The complete artist lineup and detailed schedule for 2026 will be published by the City of Hanau on the Bürgerfest website in summer 2026.
Programme Hanauer Bürgerfest 2026
Friday, September 4, 2026 — 4:00 PM to 12:30 AM
- 4:00 PM — Opening of the festival grounds on the Main meadows
- Evening — Live music on the main stage in front of the castle
- Evening — Catering by Hanau clubs and restaurateurs
Saturday, September 5, 2026 — 12:00 PM to 12:30 AM
- 12:00 PM — Opening of the festival grounds
- 1:00 PM — Start of the dragon boat races on the Main
- Afternoon — KEKS Children's Experience Culture Spectacle at the Orangerie (crafts, painting stations, climbing wall, children's theater, free admission)
- Afternoon — Show acts: Roller skating (tradition since 1958), traditional Taekwondo, inclusive sports
- Afternoon/Evening — Water ski show by the 1st German Water Ski Show Team with LED performance
- Evening — Main concert block on the stages, DJ sets
Sunday, September 6, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM
- 10:00 AM — Opening of the festival grounds
- Morning — Pedal boat cup on the Main (registration via Bürgerfest website)
- Throughout the day — Football tournament, further family program
- Throughout the day — Multimedia presentations on Hanau's post-war reconstruction history, exhibition “300 Years of Hanauer Anzeiger”
- Evening — Synchronized fireworks over the Main as the finale
- 10:30 PM — End of the Bürgerfest
Highlights Hanauer Bürgerfest 2026
- 64th edition, theme “Kreisfreiheit”
- Philippsruhe Castle as a backdrop
- Dragon boat races Saturday 1 PM
- Pedal boat cup Sunday
- Water ski show with LED performance
- KEKS children's festival with free admission
- Synchronized fireworks to conclude
Prices Hanauer Bürgerfest 2026
Day tickets: Friday €6, Saturday €5, Sunday €4. Combo ticket in advance €5.50. Children 0–15 years free. KEKS children's area completely free. Accompanying persons for wheelchair users and severely disabled persons (with 'B' mark) free.
Practical information — Hanauer Bürgerfest
Getting There
By train: Hanau Hauptbahnhof, from there a 10-minute bus ride to Schloss Philippsruhe. The Hanau tram service offers increased frequency during the festival with shuttle buses until 1 a.m. (Friday/Saturday, 20-minute intervals). By car: A66 exit Hanau-Großauheim. Bicycle parking for €0.50 to €1.00.
Admission
Day tickets: Friday €6, Saturday €5, Sunday €4. Combo ticket in advance €5.50. Children up to 15 years old, accompanying persons for wheelchair users, and severely disabled persons (with 'B' mark) are free. KEKS children's festival is completely free.
Opening Hours
Friday 4:00 PM – 12:30 AM, Saturday 12:00 PM – 12:30 AM, Sunday 10:00 AM – 10:30 PM.
Tip
Family Tip: Sunday morning with KEKS and the pedal boat cup. For live music and stage program: Saturday evening. The traditional finale is a synchronized fireworks display over the Main on Sunday evening.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place Hanauer Bürgerfest
Mainwiesen am Schloss Philippsruhe
Mainwiesen am Schloss Philippsruhe, 63454 Hanau