Kulturgärtla at Ansbach Old Town Festival

The Other Old Town Festival

The Ansbach Old Town Festival is one of the major city festivals in Middle Franconia — five days of Volksfest with bands on Schlossplatz, bratwurst stands in the alleys, and showman carousels. Amidst this hustle and bustle, a small festival has established itself in recent years: the Kulturgärtla, a mini-open-air on the Ziegenwiese meadow at Rezatparkplatz.

Idea and Volunteer Spirit

The Kulturgärtla is organized entirely by volunteers from a team of families and friend groups who wanted to expand the Old Town Festival with a stage away from the main hustle. On a small meadow under trees, a mix of beer garden atmosphere, concert stage, and family workshop is created every year — "Franconian, cheerful, open-minded," as the team itself says. Proceeds from the donation box traditionally go to "Moyo — Ansbach for Malawi e.V." (a donation-based charity).

Music from Dialect Pop to Kerwa Sound

• Franconian Dialect and Hoamatmusi — Steffis kleine Zachmusik, Die Ohrerhüller, Kerwa bands.
• Dialect Pop and Urban Brass — Loamsiada from Augsburg, Franconian-rebellious.
• Indie and Cocktail Pop — Das Kitsch, Die Weltbildhauer, Scheineilig, Die Widersacher.
• Classical Accent — Sunday matinee by the Ansbach University Orchestra.
• Children and Family — Dance workshops, ballet performances, balloon artists, comedy juggling.

Culinary: Regional and Honest

Only drinks from the region are served on the Ziegenwiese: Brauerei Fischer and Gutmann for beers, local winemaker Markus Meier for wines. Plus cocktails, snacks, sweets, and small dishes from the Kulturgärtla stand. Payment is made with the usual festival crockery deposit.

Who Performs When

The opening is traditionally on Wednesday evening at 5:30 PM — a treat for early birds, as the main rush of the Old Town Festival only starts on Thursday. Thursday is dominated by concerts with live graffiti painting and a singer-songwriter program. Friday features the indie-pop duo Das Kitsch / Die Weltbildhauer in the evening, while Saturday reaches its peak with a brass band, a balloon artist, and evening acts like Scheineilig. On Sunday, the festival concludes with an orchestra matinee, family comedy, and the closing Kerwa music.