Innenhof-Festival

35 Years of Berlin Courtyard Music

The Innenhof-Festival is a Berlin institution. Founded in 1991, it has established itself over more than three decades as an alternative summer format: no big stages, no sponsorship spectacle, but house music in Berlin's courtyards. Front and back courtyards, courtyards of housing cooperatives, or former factory buildings become the stage – with the acoustics that only an enclosed Berlin courtyard can offer.

36th Edition from August 7 to 15, 2026

The 36th edition will take place from Friday, August 7, to Saturday, August 15, 2026. Nine days, multiple venues, a spectrum ranging from folk, jazz, singer-songwriter, and world music. The complete program is traditionally published on May 28, 2026, on the festival website – a date that is considered a marker in Berlin's cultural calendar.

What Makes the Festival Special

• Intimate concert formats in courtyards for 80–250 guests
• Changing venues spread across Berlin's districts
• Genres: Folk, Acoustic, Jazz, Singer-Songwriter, World Music
• Advance booking recommended – courtyards have limited capacity
• A loyal community of artists and audience built over three decades
• Sponsorship partners: Sparkasse, Fürstenberg Brewery

Courtyard Music as a Berlin Format

Berlin, with its Gründerzeit tenement buildings, is one of the world's densest courtyard cities. First, second, third back courtyards, commercial courtyards, cooperative courtyards – the Innenhof-Festival uses this architecture as a cultural argument. In times of increasing event occupation of public space, the festival stands for deceleration, concentration, and a direct connection between musicians and the audience.

Saarlandstraße Meeting Point

The central point of contact for program information, tickets, and shared travel is the parking lot at the Saarlandstraße School Hotel. From there, directions to the individual courtyard venues will be communicated. Districts change from year to year; past editions have included courtyards in Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg, and Friedrichshain.