78th Hans-Thoma-Festival Bernau

Hans Thoma — Bernau's Famous Son

Hans Thoma (1839–1924) is one of the most significant German painters of the second half of the 19th century. He was born on October 2, 1839, in Bernau in the Black Forest (Waldshut district, AGS 08337) — the son of a miller. His work combines Black Forest Romanticism, Symbolism, and Realism into a unique visual world that gained wide distribution in the 19th century. Bernau has dedicated the Hans-Thoma-Museum (in the Hans-Thoma-Haus) to him — as well as the annual Hans-Thoma-Festival, one of the most important homeland festivals in the Southern Black Forest.

Bernau in the Black Forest — Mountain Village at 900 m

Bernau is located on a high plateau between Feldberg and Hotzenwald, at an altitude of around 900 m. With just under 2,000 inhabitants in five districts (Dorf, Innerlehen, Hof, Riggenbach, Weierle), it is a classic Black Forest mountain village — heathland, fir forests, small farms on sunny slopes. Tourism and traditional timber industry characterize the area.

78th Edition 2026 — Three Festival Days at Spitzenberg

The Hans-Thoma-Festival takes place at the Spitzenberg festival tent between the districts of Dorf and Innerlehen. The program:

Saturday, August 8, 2026 — Festival Opening

• 7:00 PM: Keg Tapping with Mayor Alexander Schönemann — official festival start
• 7:30 PM: Homeland Evening — Black Forest folk music, traditional dances, short speeches on the Hans Thoma tradition
• 9:00 PM: Performance by DORFROCKER — TV-famous Franconian-Bavarian party band, a magnet for the 2026 edition

Sunday, August 9, 2026

• Morning: Festival service, morning pint with brass music
• Midday: Festival meal (Schäufele, Bratwurst, Sauerbraten)
• Afternoon: Dance and traditional costume groups, Hans Thoma themed tours
• Evening: Folk music evening with regional groups

Monday, August 10, 2026

• Morning: Festival service
• Midday: Joint lunch in the festival tent
• Afternoon: Black Forest folk music, homeland songs
• Festival conclusion in the evening

Catering and Black Forest Cuisine

Regional cuisine in the festival tent: Schäufele, Baden ham, Black Forest cheese, fresh trout from regional fish farms, Spätzle, Kässpatzn. Black Forest beer and Kirsch, along with wine from the nearby Markgräflerland. Classic dessert: Black Forest gateau.

Getting to Bernau

By car via the B 500 (Schwarzwald-Hochstraße) to Bernau. Approx. 60 minutes from Freiburg, approx. 70 minutes from Basel. By train to St. Blasien or Schluchsee, then continue by bus. Parking available at the festival tent and along the main road. Tickets for the DORFROCKER concert and festival evenings can be purchased at bernau.cortex-tickets.de.