Lachmesse Leipzig
Germany's major international cabaret and performance art festival — 36th edition from October 25 to November 1, 2026 in Leipzig
About Lachmesse
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Lachmesse al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Since 1991 — Cabaret Festival of the East
The Lachmesse was founded after reunification — in 1991, when the East German cabaret scene had to redefine itself, while simultaneously benefiting from West German influences. Today, it is Germany's largest international cabaret and performance art festival, an eight-day event featuring over 90 ensembles, regularly attracting virtually all prominent German-speaking cabaret artists.
October 25 to November 1, 2026 — Eight Days of Laughter
Eight days of programming across 14 Leipzig venues. The Lachmesse doesn't rely on a single large stage but partners with the city's established cabaret venues — Pfeffermühle (Leipzig's most traditional cabaret), academixer (student cabaret with a long history), Funzel, SANFTWUT, Central — plus the major venues Schauspielhaus, Oper Leipzig, and Moritzbastei. Each venue presents its own program highlight, alongside guest performances from Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, and Switzerland.
Opening: “Die Wörter der Sachsen” — Tom Pauls and Peter Ufer
The Lachmesse 2026 traditionally opens on Saturday, October 25, at 11 a.m. with the matinee “Die Wörter der Sachsen” featuring Tom Pauls and Peter Ufer in the academixer-Keller. It's a humorous exploration of the Saxon dialect and Saxon peculiarities, always setting the festival's tone. The Leipziger Löwenzahn award will also be presented on the opening day — in 2025, it went to Michael Krebs, who will musically accompany the 2026 festival opening.
Highlights and Artists 2026
Program highlights include: Hannah Blank with the premiere of her new show “Casablanka” on October 26 at academixer, Lars Reichow with “Boomerland” on October 29, Chin Meyer with “Die Erotik des Geldes” on October 30, guest performances by Wladimir Kaminer, Max Uthoff, and Andreas Rebers on various dates, and the Kupferpfennig competition for newcomers on October 28. The festival concludes on Sunday, November 1, with a matinee at the Oper Leipzig.
Saxony, Leipzig, and Cabaret
Leipzig boasts an exceptional density of cabaret venues: Die Pfeffermühle (since 1954), academixer (since 1966), Sanftwut, Funzel, Krystallpalast Variete — few cities of comparable size have so many active performance art stages. The Lachmesse is the annual gathering of this scene and, at the same time, its stage for German-speaking guests from Vienna, Berlin, and Munich. For many Leipzig residents, it's the highlight of the autumn season, falling between the Spring Book Fair and the Christmas Market.
Lachmesse — edition 2026
October 25 to November 1, 2026 — 36th Lachmesse
Eight days of cabaret, comedy, and performance art in 14 Leipzig venues. The 36th Lachmesse begins on Saturday, October 25, at 11 a.m. with the traditional matinee “Die Wörter der Sachsen” in the academixer-Keller — Tom Pauls and Peter Ufer set the humorous tone for the festival. Immediately following, the Leipziger Löwenzahn award will be presented.
Throughout the week, there will be premieres, guest performances by established stars of German-speaking cabaret, newcomer competitions, and special formats. Highlights include premieres of new shows — Hannah Blank's “Casablanka,” Lars Reichow's “Boomerland,” Chin Meyer's “Die Erotik des Geldes” — as well as the Kupferpfennig competition for young cabaret artists.
Programme Lachmesse 2026
Program October 25 to November 1, 2026
Saturday, October 25 — Opening
- 11:00 AM: Opening Matinee “Die Wörter der Sachsen” with Tom Pauls and Peter Ufer at academixer-Keller
- Awarding of the Leipziger Löwenzahn (2025 recipient: Michael Krebs)
- Festival opening concert by Michael Krebs
Sunday, October 26
- 7:30 PM: Hannah Blank — “Casablanka” (Premiere) at academixer
- Further guest performances at Pfeffermühle, Funzel, SANFTWUT
Monday, October 27
- “Grand mit Vieren” — Comedy mix show at academixer
Tuesday, October 28
- Kupferpfennig Competition — Newcomer competition for young cabaret artists
Wednesday, October 29
- Lars Reichow — “Boomerland” at academixer
Thursday, October 30
- Chin Meyer — “Die Erotik des Geldes” at academixer
Friday/Saturday, October 31/November 1
- Guest performances at various venues — including Wladimir Kaminer, Max Uthoff, Andreas Rebers, Katrin Hart and Gisela Oeschelhaeuser in a talk at Pfeffermühle
- Sunday, November 1: Festival Matinee and Gala Event at the Oper Leipzig
Exact daily program and tickets at lachmesse.de.
Highlights Lachmesse 2026
- 36th edition of Germany's largest cabaret festival
- Opening with Tom Pauls and Peter Ufer “Die Wörter der Sachsen”
- Premiere of Hannah Blank's “Casablanka”
- Lars Reichow's “Boomerland,” Chin Meyer's “Die Erotik des Geldes”
- Kupferpfennig competition for newcomers
- Guest performances by Wladimir Kaminer, Max Uthoff, Andreas Rebers
- Awarding of the Leipziger Löwenzahn
- 14 venues, over 90 ensembles
- Festival matinee at Oper Leipzig
Prices Lachmesse 2026
Individual tickets range from €18 to €45 depending on the artist and venue. Premieres and gala events are at the higher end of the price range. Tickets are available at the venues, online at ticketgalerie.de and academixer.com, as well as via Eventim. Some venues offer discounts for students and individuals with disabilities.
Practical information — Lachmesse
Date
Saturday, October 25 (Opening Matinee 11 a.m.), through Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Venues
14 venues in Leipzig — Kabarett Pfeffermühle, Kabarett academixer, Funzel, SANFTWUT, Central Kabarett, Moritzbastei, Krystallpalast Variete, Revuetheater am Palmengarten, Horns Erben, Schauspielhaus Leipzig, Oper Leipzig, among others.
Tickets
Individual tickets range from €18–€45 depending on the performance. Tickets are available at the venues, at Ticketgalerie Leipzig (ticketgalerie.de), via Eventim, and on academixer.com.
Getting There
By train: ICE/IC to Leipzig Hauptbahnhof. All venues are accessible within the city center ring road by tram or bus. By plane: Leipzig/Halle Airport, then take the S-Bahn S5 to the city center.
Organizer
Lachmesse e.V., Christianstraße 29, 04105 Leipzig.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
Max. 5 photos, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Each suggestion is reviewed by our team before being published.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Lachmesse al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Where it takes place Lachmesse
Mehrere Leipziger Kabarettbühnen und Theater
Christianstraße 29, 04105 Leipzig