Name: International Choral Festival Finsterwalde 2026
Start: 2026-06-12T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-14T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Innenhof Kulturweberei Finsterwalde

Choral Festival Finsterwalde

About Choral Festival Finsterwalde

The International Choral Festival Finsterwalde is the highlight of the choral singing year in the UNESCO City of Singers Finsterwalde. The city, with its singing tradition recognized as intangible cultural heritage of Germany in 2024, invites together with the Brandenburg Choral Association to three days with around 500 singers in 20 choirs. Ensembles from the Elbe-Elster district, from seven Brandenburg districts, and a guest choir from Salaspils (Latvia, partner city) will perform in the courtyard of the Kulturweberei. Free admission.

Dates 12 Jun — 14 Jun 2026

Venue Finsterwalde (12062)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Choral Festival Finsterwalde — edition 2026

The International Choral Festival Finsterwalde 2026 runs from June 12 to 14, 2026, in the courtyard of the Kulturweberei Finsterwalde. Around 500 singers in 20 choirs will perform — 9 ensembles from the Elbe-Elster district, 10 choirs from 7 Brandenburg districts, and a guest choir from Salaspils/Latvia (partner city). Friday 5–9 PM Summer Party of the Gebrüder Graun Music School. Sat./Sun. from 10 AM concerts. Free admission. pro-agro regional market on site.

From June 12 to 14, 2026, 20 choirs and around 500 singers will transform the courtyard of the Kulturweberei Finsterwalde into a three-day choral festival. The city of Finsterwalde and the Brandenburg Choral Association are organizing the festival together, with free admission on all three days. The festival is funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of Brandenburg (Lausitz Cultural Plan).

Highlights Choral Festival Finsterwalde 2026

500 singers in 20 choirs
Guest choir from Salaspils (Latvia, Finsterwalde's partner city)
Summer Party of the Gebrüder Graun Music School on Friday (150 musicians)
UNESCO City of Singers tradition (intangible cultural heritage of Germany since 2024)
Free admission on all 3 days + pro-agro regional market

Programme Choral Festival Finsterwalde 2026

Friday, June 12, 2026 — Summer Party

5:00–9:00 PM — Opening with the Summer Party of the Gebrüder Graun District Music and Art School
~150 students on stage

Saturday, June 13, 2026

From 10:00 AM — Concerts by participating choirs in the Kulturweberei courtyard
Pro-agro regional market with Lusatian specialties
Workshops and networking events

Sunday, June 14, 2026

From 10:00 AM — Concerts and closing program
Performance by the guest choir from Salaspils (Latvia)

Participating Choirs

9 ensembles from the Elbe-Elster district
10 choirs from 7 Brandenburg districts
Guest choir from Salaspils/Latvia (Finsterwalde's partner city)
Total: 2 male choirs, several female and children's choirs, 1 gospel choir, 13 mixed ensembles

Detailed program at finsterwalde.de.

Prices Choral Festival Finsterwalde 2026

Free admission on all three days. Food and drinks are paid for on-site at the pro-agro regional market and at the catering stands.

Practical information

Practical information — Choral Festival Finsterwalde

Getting There

By train: RE3 from Berlin to Doberlug-Kirchhain, then RB45 to Finsterwalde. By car: take the A13 (Berlin–Dresden) motorway, exit at Duben or Walddrehna, then take the B96 to Finsterwalde.

Admission

Free admission on all three days.

Accommodation

Hotels and guesthouses in Finsterwalde and the surrounding area; book in advance, as the festival attracts visitors from across the region.

The City of Singers Finsterwalde

Finsterwalde in the Elbe-Elster district has been known as the "City of Singers" since the worldwide success of the operetta "Die Sänger von Finsterwalde" (The Singers of Finsterwalde), created in 1899. This identity is not just a marketing term but a living practice: in 2024, Finsterwalde's singing tradition was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage of Germany. The International Choral Festival is the best-known visible expression of this tradition.

20 Choirs, 500 Singers, One Courtyard

The 2026 festival brings together around 500 singers in 20 choirs. The Brandenburg Choral Association brings 10 choirs from 7 Brandenburg districts, and the Elbe-Elster district is represented by 9 ensembles. The international guest choir in 2026 comes from Salaspils — Finsterwalde's partner city in Latvia. A total of two male choirs, several female and children's choirs, a gospel choir, and 13 mixed ensembles will share the stage in the courtyard of the Kulturweberei.

Opening: Summer Party of the Gebrüder Graun Music School

The summer party on Friday evening (5–9 PM) opens the festival with students from the Gebrüder Graun District Music and Art School — around 150 musicians will be on stage for the opening. The festival thus connects the international professional level with local music education.

Concerts on Saturday and Sunday

The actual concerts begin on Saturday and Sunday starting at 10 AM each day. The choirs perform one after another, with workshops, networking events, and a pro-agro regional market featuring Brandenburg specialties in between. Free admission on all three days.

Sponsoring Structure and Funding

The event is organized by the City of Finsterwalde together with the Brandenburg Choral Association. The festival is funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg as part of the Lausitz Cultural Plan.

Finsterwalde — Town in the South of Lusatia

Finsterwalde, in the south of the Elbe-Elster district, is a medium-sized town between Berlin and Dresden, located at the transition from the Lower Lusatian Heathland to the Schraden region. The town consistently sees itself as a cultural city with a singing heritage, and the festival is a highlight of city life.