Name: International Puppet Festival Neustadt and Sonneberg 2026
Start: 2026-05-10T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-05-17T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Innenstadt, Museen und Werksverkäufe in Neustadt und Sonneberg

Puppet Festival Neustadt-Sonneberg

About Puppet Festival Neustadt-Sonneberg

From May 10th to 17th, 2026, Neustadt b.Coburg in Upper Franconia and Sonneberg in Southern Thuringia will transform into the world metropolis of dolls and toys for a week. The two neighboring towns – historically the heart of the German doll and toy industry – are celebrating what they claim to be the world's largest puppet and toy festival: the world's largest collector's exchange for dolls, teddy bears, and miniatures, special exhibitions in the museums, factory sales at manufacturers, and family days. Highlights on the weekend of May 14th–16th with partly free admission to numerous offers.

Dates 10 May — 17 May 2026

Venue Neustadt b.Coburg (09473)

Prices Since 0.00€

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Puppet Festival Neustadt-Sonneberg — edition 2026

The International Puppet Festival 2026 runs from May 10th to 17th in Neustadt b.Coburg and Sonneberg. For one week: collector's exchange for dolls, teddy bears, and miniatures, special exhibitions in museums, factory sales, and a family program. The highlight weekend from May 14th to 16th offers numerous free activities.

The 2026 edition of the International Puppet Festival is officially scheduled on the event calendar of the city of Neustadt b.Coburg: May 10th to 17th, 2026, together with Sonneberg. A detailed program and site map will be published in spring 2026.

The program framework from previous editions includes: international collector's exchange with thousands of exhibits, special exhibitions at the Sonneberg Toy Museum and in the Neustadt museums, factory sales at the remaining manufacturers, guided factory tours, family days with hands-on workshops and demonstrations. The highlight weekend of May 14th–16th, 2026 promises partly free admission and the full program.

Highlights Puppet Festival Neustadt-Sonneberg 2026

International collector's exchange, special exhibitions in toy museums, factory sales, family weekend May 14th–16th with free offers.

Programme Puppet Festival Neustadt-Sonneberg 2026

Mon May 11th – Fri May 15th, 2026 — Festival Week

International Collector's Exchange for dolls, teddy bears, tin toys, and miniatures
Special exhibitions at Sonneberg Toy Museum, Museum of the German Toy Industry Neustadt, and partner museums
Factory sales at the remaining manufacturers in the region
Guided tours, lectures, collector meetups

Thu May 14th – Sat May 16th, 2026 — Highlight Days

Numerous free program points
Family workshops for doll and teddy bear crafting
Demonstrations of historical toy manufacturing
Town festival atmosphere in the city centers of Neustadt and Sonneberg

Sun May 17th, 2026 — Festival Finale

Last market day of the collector's exchange
Closing events and family program

Detailed daily and location schedules, as well as specific exhibitor lists, will be published by the festival committee a few weeks before the start.

Prices Puppet Festival Neustadt-Sonneberg 2026

Collector's exchange and museums with separate admission (tiered). Family highlight weekend with numerous free program points. Festival day pass and week ticket available on the official festival website.

Practical information

Practical information — Puppet Festival Neustadt-Sonneberg

Getting There

By car via the A73 (exit Coburg/Neustadt b.Coburg) or A4 (exit Sonneberg). By train to Coburg, then by bus or train to Neustadt b.Coburg or Sonneberg. Shuttle buses run between the two festival towns during the festival.

Admission

Admission is tiered: Collector's exchange with its own day ticket, museum exhibitions with regular or reduced admission, many program points on the weekend of May 14th–16th are free. Detailed program booklet and tickets available on the official festival website.

When to Arrive

Collectors or enthusiasts: arrive at the start of the festival on May 10th – the exchange will have the best pieces then. Families: the highlight weekend of May 14th–16th with free offers. Book accommodation well in advance, the region is heavily booked during the festival.

The Doll Capital of the World

Between Neustadt b.Coburg (Upper Franconia, Bavaria) and Sonneberg (Southern Thuringia) lies one of Europe's most important toy regions – the center of the German doll and toy industry since the 19th century. Brands that have shaped entire generations came from this region: Käthe Kruse, Schildkröt, later Schreyer & Co. (Schuco), Heller, Hermann-Teddy, and many others. The International Puppet Festival celebrates this very heritage as a town festival every two years.

Largest Festival of its Kind Worldwide

The organizers describe the festival as the world's largest of its kind. The centerpiece is the international collector's exchange for historical dolls, teddy bears, tin toys, miniatures, and antique rarities – with exhibitors and collectors from Germany, Europe, and overseas traveling to Upper Franconia and Southern Thuringia for a week. In addition, there are special exhibitions in the participating museums (Sonneberg Toy Museum, German Toy Museum, Museum of the German Toy Industry in Neustadt) and factory sales at the remaining manufacturers.

Family Days and Highlight Weekend

The weekend of May 14th–16th, 2026 is being promoted as the highlight – with partly free admission to many offers, a family program, hands-on workshops, and demonstrations. Children can design their own dolls, watch old teddy bears being restored, or build miniature landscapes with artists. The town centers of both cities will become festival grounds with stalls, cafés, and activities.

Neustadt and Sonneberg – a Cross-Border Festival

The two towns are located directly on the state border between Bavaria (Coburg district) and Thuringia (Sonneberg district) – a connected toy cluster in the Middle Ages and up to the 20th century, separated by German division from 1949–1990, and now closely linked again. The Puppet Festival is jointly supported by both cities and is one of the few festivals that uses the former inner-German border as a cultural link.