KPiP Festival Rheinberg

Free Open-Air Festival at the Spanischer Vallan

The KPiP Festival is one of the most exciting new festival formats in the Lower Rhine region — a free admission concept (voluntary contributions for artists) in Rheinberg's Stadtpark, centered around the historic Spanischer Vallan — a medieval tower that gives the area its name. Founded in 2022, the festival has developed into a "cultural highlight in Rheinberg's Stadtpark" (self-description) within a few years. The 5th edition is scheduled for 2026 — the exact date will be announced in spring, and the format will follow the three-day choreography of previous years.

Three Days — Three Themes

The KPiP Festival is conceived as a programmatic triptych, appealing to different music genres and target audiences on three consecutive days:

Friday — "Techno im Park"

Friday is dedicated to electronic music. DJs and producers from the Lower Rhine and national techno scene will play in the Stadtpark — against an urban backdrop with the historic tower in the background.

Saturday — "Komm, Pogo im Park!"

Saturday is the punk, rock, and hardcore day — guitar-heavy, sweaty, with pogo dancing in front of the stage. Bands from the Lower Rhine and national underground scene.

Sunday — "Komm-ma-runter"

Sunday slows down the pace: singer-songwriter, acoustic sets, relaxed family format with workshops, exhibitions, children's activities, and surprise acts. The "coming down" day, leading the festival to a reflective conclusion.

The Vallanisten as Initiators

The KPiP Festival was founded in 2022 by Manuela Cengiz Bechert and Renan Cengiz, who refer to themselves as "die Vallanisten". They have been active with a cultural initiative around the Spanischer Vallan since 2020 and developed the festival from their engagement. In 2023, the festival was awarded the Heimatpreis (local heritage prize) of the City of Rheinberg — an acknowledgment of its local roots and cultural-political significance.

Values and Program

The KPiP Festival has a clear value profile:

• Accessibility — Free admission (voluntary contributions), low-threshold access
• Sustainability — in catering, setup, and logistics
• Solidarity — Awareness teams support an inclusive and respectful interaction
• Local Roots — Initiative from Rheinberg for Rheinberg, with national appeal

Spanischer Vallan — The Historic Backdrop

The Spanischer Vallan is a medieval tower in Rheinberg's Stadtpark — a remnant of the city's historic fortifications. The name refers to the Spanish occupation of the city in the 16th/17th centuries. Today, the Vallan is a ruin in a green space, culturally activated annually by the KPiP Festival — a programmatic connection of historical substance and contemporary subculture.

Rheinberg — Lower Rhine Town on the Rhine

Rheinberg is a town in the Wesel district on the left bank of the Lower Rhine, between Wesel and Krefeld — with around 31,000 inhabitants, it's a typical Lower Rhine medium-sized town. Visitors to the KPiP Festival can combine their trip with a tour of the Lower Rhine region — Anholt Castle, the nearby Dutch Christmas markets, or the Rhine floodplain.

4th Edition 2025 — June 13–15

The 4th edition in 2025 took place from June 13 to 15 — three days of programming with the established triptych of techno/punk/singer-songwriter. The exact date for 2026 will likely be published in April or May 2026 on kpipfestival.de — probably again in June.