Historic Old Town Festival Kenzingen

Historic Old Town Festival Kenzingen — A Time Travel Every Two Years

The Historic Old Town Festival Kenzingen is one of the most beautiful medieval festivals on the southern Upper Rhine. It takes place every two years — in even-numbered years — always on the first weekend of July. 2026 is a festival year; the exact dates will be confirmed on kenzingen.de before the festival begins — presumably Friday, 3 to Sunday, 5 July 2026.

775th Town Charter Anniversary

2026 marks a special occasion for Kenzingen: the 775th town charter anniversary. The town received its town rights in 1251 from the Zähringers. The Historic Old Town Festival 2026 is expected to take up this anniversary thematically — with special ceremonies, a special exhibition, and an expanded programme.

Medieval Atmosphere in the Old Town

The festival concept is classically medieval: the Kenzingen Old Town with its central Zähringer Cross becomes the festival backdrop. Jugglers, minstrels, and musicians move through the alleys; a historic market with craft demonstrations (blacksmith, potter, weaver, leatherworker, glassblower) will be set up around the Zähringer Cross. Food will be served in the rustic stalls (covered dining areas) — medieval specialities such as mead, bratwurst cooked over charcoal, cabbage rolls, lard bread. For children, there is a fairy-tale castle, a barrel carousel, and acting performances. A knight's camp allows insights into the life of past times.

Corvus Corax — The Musical Highlight

On Saturday evening, the musical highlight of the festival is traditionally Corvus Corax — the internationally renowned German medieval rock band. With their characteristic mix of bagpipes, drums, medieval languages, and rock energy, Corvus Corax is one of the most important trademarks of the medieval scene and fits perfectly into the Kenzingen festival backdrop. The concert fills the central square with often several thousand spectators.

Kenzingen — Zähringer Town on the Upper Rhine

Kenzingen (around 9,500 inhabitants, Emmendingen district, AGS 08316) is located on the southern Upper Rhine between Freiburg and Offenburg. The town is a former Zähringer foundation — the Zähringers (noble family from the Hohenstaufen era) founded several towns in southwestern Germany in the 12th–13th centuries according to a planned town model (so-called "Zähringer town model"). Kenzingen is one of the best-preserved examples of this medieval townscape in Baden — with town fortifications, a market square, and an intact street structure. The town uses this substance for the Historic Old Town Festival, which takes place every two years.