International Festival Aalen 2026

Market Square as a Stage for Cultures

The International Festival Aalen is one of the most traditional intercultural city festivals in Baden-Württemberg. Since the mid-1980s — 2026 marks the 41st edition — the city of Aalen has been celebrating the coexistence of the over 120 nationalities living in the city. The festival takes place on Saturday, July 4th, and Sunday, July 5th, 2026, on the central Aalen Market Square. The organizer is the Culture and Press Office of the City of Aalen, Department of Culture.

Aalen Associations as Bearers of the Festival

A special feature of the Aalen International Festival: It is supported by Aalen associations with an intercultural focus. Turkish, Italian, Greek, Kurdish, Russian, Ukrainian, Syrian, Afghan, Balkan, Latin American, African, and many other communities run their own stands — with their own culinary offerings, their own music, their own dances. This participation of associations ensures a special authenticity: The dishes are prepared by people who cook them at home; the dance groups are real folk dance associations; the music is not touristy, but community identity.

Culinary Specialties from Around the World

The gastronomic offer is one of the most diverse in the region: Turkish Köfte and Dolma, Italian Pasta and Pizza, Greek Gyros and Souvlaki, Kurdish specialties, Russian Pelmeni and Borschtsch, Arabic Falafel and Maklube, Afghan Mantu, Ethiopian Injera, South American Empanadas, Asian street food specialties, plus vegan and vegetarian options. The Aalen associations bring a piece of their homeland to Aalen's city center.

Several Cultural Stages — Music and Dance

The stage program is spread across several cultural stages: traditional folk dance groups in original costumes, international bands with a world music focus, solo artists from local communities, choirs, and musical ensembles. The program changes every half hour — you can wander around the festival grounds and enjoy a different cultural experience at a different stage every 30 minutes.

Aalen — Industrial City with an Active Cultural Scene

Aalen (Ostalbkreis district, postal code 08136, around 70,000 inhabitants) is the largest city in the Ostalbkreis and is located on the Swabian Jura. The city has traditionally been shaped by industry (optics, steel, machine tools) and has attracted workers from all over the world in recent decades — the over 120 nationalities are not coincidental but a result of a long history of migration. The International Festival is Aalen's annual tribute to this diversity — one of the most important events in Aalen's cultural calendar.