Culture Connects — Culture Festival Grenzach-Wyhlen 2026

Three Festivals Become One

In 2026, the municipality of Grenzach-Wyhlen on the High Rhine, directly on the Swiss border in the Lörrach district, has implemented an unusual idea: combining three of its most important cultural events into one large three-day festival. From July 14th to 16th, 2026, the 'Culture Connects' festival will take place in the Emilienpark Grenzach. Organizer Marlen Geheeb explains: 'We are turning three events into one big one.'

The Three Components

The three previously separate events that are now merging into the festival:

• Nature Meets Culture — An experience day that combines the natural space of the Emilienpark with cultural offerings. Exhibitions, performances, open-air program.
• Classics Elsewhere — An international classical music festival that moves classical concerts from concert halls into unconventional spaces. In 2026, it will be held in a circus tent in the Emilienpark.
• 30 Years of Partnership with Pietrasanta — Anniversary celebration for the partnership with the Italian Tuscan municipality, established in 1996. The anniversary celebration, postponed due to the pandemic, is taking place three years late.

Program Over Three Days

The festival is spread over three days, each with its own focus:

• Friday, July 14th — Concert by the Grenzach-Wyhlen Accordion Orchestra in the circus tent
• Saturday, July 15th — Classics Elsewhere with international artists (detailed lineup available from the municipality)
• Sunday, July 16th — Program by local heritage associations and partner city delegations

Circus Tent as Concert Venue

The choice of venue is extraordinary: a circus tent will be erected in the middle of the Emilienpark and will serve as the main concert venue. This choice is programmatic — 'Classics Elsewhere' has been pursuing the goal for years of taking classical music out of concert halls and making it an experience in atypical spaces. The tent will be complemented by an open stage and art exhibitions in the park, as well as in a closed-off section of Schlossgasse.

Partnership with Pietrasanta

Pietrasanta is a small town in the province of Lucca in Tuscany, known primarily as a marble center (Carrara marble is mined in the region and processed in Pietrasanta). The town partnership has existed since 1996 and is one of the most prominent partnerships between a German High Rhine municipality and an Italian Tuscan town. Several partner towns from the Pietrasanta network have confirmed their participation in the festival.

Grenzach-Wyhlen on the High Rhine

Grenzach-Wyhlen is a twin municipality of 14,000 inhabitants in the Lörrach district, directly on the High Rhine and on the border with Switzerland (Basel is only a few kilometers away). Economically, the municipality is characterized by its large pharmaceutical and chemical industry — Roche, Novartis, and other companies have their production sites here. The festival uses the Emilienpark, one of the most beautiful park areas in the twin municipality in the Grenzach district, as the festival grounds. Visitors to the festival should combine their stay with a visit to Basel or a walk along the High Rhine.