Kulturgarten Open Air Themar

Punk and Hardcore in a Garden by the Werra

The Kulturgarten Open Air in Themar is a small, independently organised Punk, Hardcore, and Ska-Punk festival that takes place every year on the Whitsun weekend in the Kulturgarten at the Rasenmühle. The stage is set amongst old trees, meadows, and Werra floodplains — a festival location that resembles a large garden more than a festival site. The capacity is limited to around 500 visitors, which gives the festival its well-known family atmosphere.

Line-up 2026 — 27 Bands for 3 Festival Days

The 2026 line-up is a cross-section of the German-speaking Punk and Hardcore scene: Rantanplan, Born From Pain, MDC (Millions of Dead Cops), ZSK, Team Scheisse, Bloodsucking Zombies From Outer Space, and around 23 other bands. Stylistically, the programme ranges from classic Hardcore to Skate-Punk and Ska-Punk, to Indie Rock and Alternative Metal.

Community Instead of Commerce

The festival sees itself as a community project: no sponsorship from major brands, a clear commitment to sustainability, fair prices, and a programme design that explicitly promotes emerging acts and politically positioned bands. The festival is presented by, among others, Radio Bob! and Ox-Fanzine — two of the most important voices in the German-speaking Punk and Rock scene.

Themar in the Hildburghausen District

Themar is a small town (around 2,900 inhabitants) in the Hildburghausen district in the state of Thuringia, in the Hildburghäuser Unterland region on the Werra river. The town has been known since the 1990s for its committed alternative and anti-fascist cultural scene — the Kulturgarten is one of the symbols of this movement. Those who travel to the festival often combine the festival days with an excursion to Veste Heldburg or a Werra river hike.