Karl May Festival Radebeul

Germany's Largest Karl May Festival

When the Lößnitzgrund in Radebeul is filled with cowboy hats, leather fringes, and the clatter of horse hooves on Pentecost, one of Germany's most unique festivals begins: the Karl May Festival. Since 1992, the Karl May Museum in Radebeul has celebrated the Saxon writer Karl May (1842–1912) and his literary universe — Winnetou, Old Shatterhand, Old Surehand, Kara Ben Nemsi — with thousands of fans. The festival is far more than a costume gathering: it is a serious, passionate engagement with the life's work of the successful author and with the culture of the Indigenous peoples of North America, to whom May dedicated his literary monuments.

33rd Edition 2026 — «Fest im Sattel»

The 33rd Karl May Festival 2026 is themed «Fest im Sattel» (Festival in the Saddle). The focus is on horse and rider culture: 150 horses will parade through the festival grounds, equestrian shows with stunts and acrobatics, a historic Western Camp including a star rider camp, settler treks, a Saloon with live music and can-can, plus robberies on the historic train, filmed and performed live. Western bars, campfires, fabric tents, and tipi camps are spread across the festival grounds.

Guests from Twelve Nations — Supaman from Montana

The festival maintains long-standing contacts with Indigenous communities in North America. In 2026, guests from twelve nations are announced — including, for the first time, the Apsáalookw rapper and Pow Wow dancer Supaman from Montana. Supaman combines traditional Pow Wow dance culture with hip-hop and is a prominent voice of the young Indigenous generation in the USA. His performance in 2026 is a highlight for everyone who understands the Karl May Festival not just as a nostalgic Wild West spectacle, but also as a cultural dialogue.

Theater, Concerts, Films

The program includes eight plays (live productions from the Karl May universe, acting with horses and action), over 20 bands (country, Western swing, cowboy folk, Pow Wow music, hip-hop), five film screenings (historic Karl May films from the 1960s, more recent documentaries). At the Karl May Museum itself, there will be theater performances by Roland Wichmann, who embodies the museum's founder Patty Frank, as well as lectures by scientific director Robin Leipold and ethnologist Martin Schulz, featuring treasures from the museum's collection.

Santa Fé Express and Family Program

More than 50 special trips on the historic Santa Fé Express of the Lößnitzgrundbahn (a narrow-gauge steam train with a Western look) will take visitors through the festival grounds — an attraction especially for families. For children, there will be gold panning, archery, and pony rides. Pow Wow dancing with opportunities to participate, costume contests, and storytelling sessions round off the family program.

Radebeul, Karl May, and the Karl May Museum

The town of Radebeul, with around 33,000 inhabitants, is located in the Meißen district, directly northwest of Dresden on the Elbe River. It is Karl May's place of residence and death: in 1895, the writer moved into the Villa Shatterhand in Radebeul, where he lived until his death in 1912. The Karl May Museum was founded in 1928 by Patty Frank, a Karl May fan and collector of Indigenous artifacts, and is today the most important research and exhibition center for Karl May and Indigenous culture of North America in Europe. With 70,000 visitors during the 2024 festival, the event is one of the largest cultural events in the greater Dresden area.