Name: Heimat- und Strandfest Rotenburg an der Fulda 2026
Start: 2026-07-01T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-07-06T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Schlosspark, Innenstadt und Fulda-Ufer

Heimat- und Strandfest

About Heimat- und Strandfest

Six days of Heimatfest (homeland festival) in Rotenburg an der Fulda: From July 1st to 6th, 2026, a summer festival for children, the Schlosspark Festival with the 'Festival of 20,000 Lights', a parade, a boat parade on the Fulda, and fireworks will shape the program. Featuring the region's largest disco tent stage. Six days of city festival with the Schlosspark Festival, the famous 'Festival of 20,000 Lights', a parade, a boat parade on the Fulda, fireworks, and one of the region's largest disco tent stages. Organized by the Rotenburg Tourist Information every first weekend in July.

Dates 01 Jul — 06 Jul 2026

Venue Rotenburg an der Fulda (06632)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Heimat- und Strandfest — edition 2026

Six days of Heimat- und Strandfest Rotenburg an der Fulda 2026: Wed–Mon. Friday: Summer festival for children, Saturday: Schlosspark Festival 'Festival of 20,000 Lights', Sunday: Parade, boat parade on the Fulda, and fireworks. The region's largest disco tent stage. Organizer: Rotenburg Tourist Information.

The Heimat- und Strandfest traditionally takes place on the first weekend in July. In 2026, it runs from Wednesday, July 1st, to Monday, July 6th. The detailed program will be announced about four weeks before the festival on rotenburg-erleben.de and at the Tourist Information office.

Highlights Heimat- und Strandfest 2026

Six days of city festival with a classic Heimatfest format
'Festival of 20,000 Lights' in the Schlosspark
Boat parade on the Fulda followed by fireworks
Parade on Sunday through the old town
Largest disco tent stage in the region
Free admission to the city festival

Programme Heimat- und Strandfest 2026

Wednesday–Thursday, July 1st–2nd, 2026 — Setup and Opening

Setup of stalls, opening of the festival tent
First concert and DJ evenings in the festival tent

Friday, July 3rd, 2026 — Summer Festival for Children

During the day: Amusement rides and children's entertainment around the market square and castle
Evening: Main program in the festival tent with live band and DJ

Saturday, July 4th, 2026 — Festival in the Schlosspark

Concerts and show programs in the Schlosspark
Gastronomic stands along the paths
After dark: 'Festival of 20,000 Lights' – thousands of candles and fairy lights in the park
Late evening disco in the festival tent

Sunday, July 5th, 2026 — Spectacle Day

Morning: Parade through the old town
Afternoon: Boat parade on the Fulda
Evening: Grand fireworks display over the Fulda with water and light show

Monday, July 6th, 2026 — Wind-down

Last day of the festival with remaining amusement rides
Evening farewell program in the festival tent

Prices Heimat- und Strandfest 2026

Admission to the city festival, boat parade, and fireworks is free. There may be an evening admission fee for the disco in the festival tent.

Practical information

Practical information — Heimat- und Strandfest

Getting there

Train: RE/RB connection Bebra–Bad Hersfeld, Rotenburg (Fulda) station; from there, a 10-minute walk to the old town. Car: A7 exit Hersfeld-West, then B27 towards Rotenburg.

Admission

Admission to the city festival is free. There may be an admission fee for the festival tent in the evening; the boat parade and fireworks are free from the riverbank.

Dates

July 1st–6th, 2026 (Wednesday–Monday). Main program Friday to Sunday.

Tip

For the best fireworks photo: secure a spot on the Fulda riverbank near the Schlosspark, about an hour before the parade begins.

The most romantic summer festival in North Hesse

The Heimat- und Strandfest Rotenburg an der Fulda is one of the most beautiful summer festivals in North Hesse. For six days, the half-timbered town transforms into a festival mile on the first weekend in July, featuring amusement rides, open-air concerts, Schlosspark lights, and water features on the Fulda. The format is classic: family program during the day, disco tent in the evening, and on Sunday, the grand spectacle with a boat parade and fireworks.

Summer festival on Friday

On Friday, a summer festival for children begins with amusement rides around the market square and the castle grounds. Family activities during the day, opening of the festival tent in the evening.

Schlosspark as a stage

On Saturday, the Schlosspark becomes a stage: concerts, show programs, gastronomic stands, plus the famous illumination that has earned the park the nickname 'Festival of 20,000 Lights'. Thousands of candles, lanterns, and fairy lights turn the historic park into one of Hesse's most beautiful festival venues after dark.

Sunday: Parade, fireworks, grand show

Sunday is the day for spectacle: In the morning, a parade through the old town; in the afternoon, the boat parade on the Fulda – traditionally with historic and newly decorated boats. In the evening, the highlight: the fireworks over the river, embedded in a water and light show on the bank and from the castle balcony.

Disco tent for the younger crowd

A unique feature of Rotenburg: The festival operates one of the largest disco tent stages in the region. From Thursday to Sunday, the festival tent hosts a DJ program every evening – an attraction for young audiences from Hesse, Lower Saxony, and Thuringia.

Half-timbered houses and water

Rotenburg an der Fulda is part of the 'German Timber-Frame Road' and is located between the Knüllgebirge and Stölzinger Gebirge mountains in the Hessian low mountain range. With around 12,000 inhabitants, the town is small, but its location on the river and the historic Schlosspark make it ideal for a festival of this kind.