Kehler Messdi — Grand City Volksfest

Ortenau's Largest City Volksfest

The Kehler Messdi is a phenomenon: four days of festival operations throughout Kehl's city centre — Hauptstraße, Marktplatz, Marktstraße — with four stages, two DJ floors, a large fairground area, and over 50 program points. This makes the Messdi the largest city and folk festival in the Ortenau region and one of the largest folk festivals on the Upper Rhine. The city of Kehl, with just under 37,000 inhabitants located directly on the French border opposite Strasbourg, closes its city centre for four days and transforms it into a huge festival ground. In 2026, the Messdi will run from Thursday, May 14th to Sunday, May 17th.

Keg Tapping on May 14th at 11:00 AM

The traditional keg tapping on the Marktplatz at 11:00 AM on Thursday, May 14th, 2026, marks the start. Mayor Wolfram Britz opens the first beer keg, the Kehl City Band plays, and the Mayor's official speech officially opens the event. Immediately after the keg tapping, the festival program begins — stands and showmen open, and the first stage acts perform. An ecumenical service also takes place on Thursday morning, providing a spiritual dimension to the Messdi. Kehl clubs and organizations present their volunteer work on special stages on Thursday.

Musical Program

Over the four days, a dense musical program runs on the four stages — from energetic rock on the main stage to atmospheric schlager on the second stage, modern party hits on the third stage, to Bach and classical roots on the fourth stage. Local bands from the Ortenau region alternate with national acts and established stars. Additionally, there are two DJ floors with electronic music and mainstream hits. The stage program changes almost hourly — four days of festival atmosphere in a confined space.

Showmen, Carousels, Market Stalls

Carousels spin, bumper cars thunder, and shooting galleries flash in the large fairground area on Mehlmühlenstraße. Families will find haunted houses, a Ferris wheel, classic horse carousels, and modern thrill rides. The showmen's exhibition is the largest of its kind between Karlsruhe and Freiburg. In addition, there are two flea markets on Thursday and Sunday (11:00 AM–6:00 PM) at Centrum am Markt — bargain hunting for used goods. Free children's activities — face painting, prize draws, bouncy castle — are accessible throughout.

Sunday — Family Day and Open Shopping Sunday

Sunday is family day with a particularly wide children's program: face painting, interactive activities, children's disco, children's games. The Geiger Foundation is the sponsor. In parallel, Sunday is an open shopping day in Kehl — the shops in the city centre open their doors. Food trucks from Kehl and nearby Strasbourg offer international specialties: Maultaschen, Swabian classics, Flammkuchen from Alsace, Bratwurst, Crêpes, salmon sandwiches, and draft beer. Kehl's German-French location is reflected in the culinary diversity.