Klever Lichterfest
69th Lichterfest in the Forstgarten — Candlelight, Live Music, and Baroque Fireworks on the Lower Rhine
About Lichterfest Kleve
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Klever Lichterfest — Six Decades of Park Romance
The Klever Lichterfest is one of the oldest and most traditional light events on the Lower Rhine. Since 1957, the historic Forstgarten Kleve has transformed once a year into an illuminated garden — a tribute to the baroque tradition of courtly light gardens. In 2026, the 69th edition will take place on Saturday, September 12, from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Free admission.
Illuminations, Music, Baroque Fireworks
The concept combines light art with live music in a baroque park setting:
- Hundreds of candles line the paths, water features, and meadows of the Forstgarten
- Artistic light installations are strategically placed throughout the garden areas
- Live music on several stages — a genre mix from classical to pop, jazz, and acoustic
- Culinary stands offering food and drinks
- Highlight: the grand baroque fireworks display shortly before 10:00 PM — the sky above Kleve will be bathed in color
Forstgarten Kleve — Historic Park of the Lower Rhine
The Forstgarten Kleve is one of the most significant park landscapes on the Lower Rhine and boasts a long history. Originally laid out as a baroque garden in the 17th century by Governor Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen, it today combines old tree stands, water features, sightlines, and the amphitheater to form one of the most impressive garden complexes in West Germany. The Lichterfest annually makes this historic character tangible and transports visitors back to the era of baroque court festivals.
Kleve — Lower Rhine Town on the Dutch Border
Kleve (approx. 50,000 inhabitants) is the district capital of the district of Kleve in the far west of North Rhine-Westphalia, directly on the border with the Netherlands. Characterized by a long past as the residential city of the Dukes of Cleves (with the Schwanenburg castle as its landmark), the city today offers a university, a vibrant city center, and its historic Forstgarten. The Lichterfest is one of the most popular events of the city's year, attracting visitors from the entire western Münsterland region, the Lower Rhine, and the neighboring Dutch provinces.
Lichterfest Kleve — edition 2026
Program 2026 — 69th Lichterfest in the Forstgarten
The 69th edition of the Klever Lichterfest on Saturday, September 12, 2026, follows the proven concept of the City of Kleve and WTM Kleve GmbH. The venue is the historic Forstgarten — a baroque garden transformed into an illuminated park stage for this one evening.
Schedule
- 6:30 PM — Opening. Entrances to the Forstgarten open for visitors
- From 6:30 PM — First stage performances (acoustic / classical) as dusk falls
- 7:30 PM–9:30 PM — Main phase with live music on several stages (jazz, pop, classical) and full illumination of all light installations
- Approx. 9:45 PM — Baroque fireworks display as the evening's highlight
- 10:00 PM — Conclusion and farewell
Culinary Delights
Culinary stands offering food and drinks (wine, beer, non-alcoholic options, regional specialties) are spread throughout the park. Bringing a picnic blanket is allowed and popular.
Programme Lichterfest Kleve 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026 — Forstgarten Kleve
- 6:30 PM — Opening and admission
- From 6:30 PM — Live music on the park stages (acoustic, classical, pop, jazz; full stage acts will be published by WTM Kleve shortly before the event)
- Throughout the evening — illuminated paths and light installations in the baroque Forstgarten, hundreds of candles
- Approx. 9:45 PM — Baroque fireworks display — the highlight
- 10:00 PM — End
The exact stage distribution and artist names for 2026 will be announced by WTM Kleve in August/September 2026 on kleve-erleben.de.
Highlights Lichterfest Kleve 2026
- Baroque fireworks display concluding around 10 PM
- Hundreds of candles and light installations in the baroque Forstgarten
- Several live music stages, free admission
Prices Lichterfest Kleve 2026
Free admission. Food and drinks at stands in the park at standard market prices.
Practical information — Lichterfest Kleve
Getting There
Forstgarten Kleve, entrances include Tiergartenstraße. Kleve train station (RE10 Düsseldorf–Kleve) is a 15-minute walk away. By car: A57 exit Goch/Kleve or A3 exit Wesel. Parking available at the Forstgarten and in the city center.
Admission
Free admission. Food and drinks at stands in the park at standard market prices.
Tip
Arrive early (from approx. 6:00 PM) to experience the light installations as dusk falls. Before the baroque fireworks around 10:00 PM, the central sightlines fill up quickly — secure a good spot by the pond or on the central meadow in time.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Lichterfest Kleve al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Lichterfest Kleve
Forstgarten Kleve
Forstgarten Kleve, 47533 Kleve