Kempten Old Town Festival with Children's Day

The Biggest Family Festival of the Allgäu Summer

Kempten — the capital and cultural center of the Allgäu — is of Roman-Celtic origin, one of the oldest cities in Germany. Its historic old town with Rathausplatz, St.-Mang-Platz, Marktstraße, and baroque residence provides a natural stage for city festivals. The Old Town Festival with Children's Day, organized by the Stadtjugendring Kempten, is the town's major summer family festival — consciously designed to be inclusive and child-oriented.

Stadtjugendring as Organizer

The Stadtjugendring Kempten — the umbrella organization of Kempten's youth associations — is the driving force behind the festival. Several dozen member associations (from the Catholic Rural Youth and DLRG Youth to sports clubs and scouts) jointly design the hands-on activity stations and the stage program. The concept: Instead of a purely consumer-oriented city festival, children are encouraged to be active themselves — crafting, jumping, climbing, trying things out.

Children's Program: Straw Bouncy Castle, Flea Market, Hands-on Activities

Classic program elements from past events include: a straw bouncy castle, a children's flea market (where children sell their own outgrown toys), craft stations, play and bouncy installations, and small competitions organized by the associations. The historic old town with its car-free squares becomes a closed experience space for families during the day. Costumed characters, music played over loudspeakers, food stalls run by the associations — a deliberately low-threshold, cross-class event.

Open-Air Concert as Finale

When the hands-on activity stations are dismantled in the late afternoon, the musical evening event takes over: an open-air concert in one of the central squares, attracting an audience of all age groups. The concept combines a daytime program for families with an evening program that also appeals to younger adult audiences — typical for the Kempten city festival format.

Kempten — The Allgäu Capital

With around 70,000 inhabitants, Kempten is by far the largest city in the Allgäu and one of the oldest settlements in Germany (first written mention as "Cambodunum" in 50 AD). The city is the center of a further tourist catchment area — from the Allgäu Alps to the Swabian Midland. The Old Town Festival is therefore not only a local neighborhood festival but also an attraction for families from all over the Oberallgäu region.