Name: Leselust Festival Bayreuth 2026
Start: 2026-01-13T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-02-26T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Das Zentrum (Äußere Badstraße 7a) + VR-Bank Bayreuth (Hohenzollernring 31)

Leselust Bayreuth

About Leselust Bayreuth

The Leselust Festival Bayreuth is one of the most important literary events in Upper Franconia. Over seven evenings from January to February, the festival brings prominent authors to Bayreuth's "Zentrum" and the VR-Bank Bayreuth-Hof – including Caroline Wahl, Gregor Gysi, Jan Weiler, Fritz Egner, Jürgen Todenhöfer, and Axel Hacke. The series is organized by the Bayreuth agency Motion in cooperation with the Nordbayerischer Kurier. In 2026, the festival will run from January 13th to February 26th.

Dates 13 Jan — 26 Feb 2026

Venue Bayreuth (09462)

Prices —

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Leselust Bayreuth — edition 2026

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The 2026 Leselust edition features seven readings by prominent authors from January 13th to February 26th, 2026, in Bayreuth. With Caroline Wahl, Gregor Gysi, Jan Weiler, Fritz Egner, Jürgen Todenhöfer, and Axel Hacke, the festival covers a range from fiction to politics and reportage to humorous linguistic reflection. The main venue is the Zentrum at Äußere Badstraße; the children's reading takes place at the VR-Bank Bayreuth-Hof. Organizers are Motion Kommunikation and Nordbayerischer Kurier.

Seven voices for Bayreuth 2026

The Leselust Festival 2026 extends the Bayreuth literary winter from mid-January to the end of February. The program leadership relies on great voices with clear profiles: young successful author Caroline Wahl opens, Axel Hacke closes the festival with his exploration of the inner life. In between are Gregor Gysi's political plea, Jan Weiler's humorous "Pubertier" best-of, Fritz Egner's radio autobiography, and Jürgen Todenhöfer's reports from crisis regions.

Proven festival character

As in previous years, the evening retains its festival character: reading, discussion with a moderator, sometimes musical accompaniment, followed by a book table in the foyer. The audience remains in the hall and engaged in conversation.

Highlights Leselust Bayreuth 2026

Caroline Wahl with "Die Assistentin" (Opening 01/13); Gregor Gysi "Auf ein Wort"; Jan Weiler with "Das Beste! Mein Leben zwischen Pubertieren"; Fritz Egner with BR radio autobiography; Axel Hacke as festival closing on 02/26.

Programme Leselust Bayreuth 2026

2026 Program (all dates)

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026, 8:00 PM — Zentrum: Caroline Wahl reads from her novel "Die Assistentin" – the story of Charlotte, who seeks her calling in a publisher's antechamber. Tone: laconic, precise.
Saturday, January 17th, 2026, 11:00 AM — VR-Bank Bayreuth-Hof: Children's reading with Stephan Bach – "Helden der Weide", a story about cows and farm adventures.
Thursday, January 22nd, 2026, 8:00 PM — Zentrum: Gregor Gysi – "Auf ein Wort". Politics, personal matters, and much in between, from peace to football.
Friday, January 23rd, 2026, 8:00 PM — Zentrum: Jan Weiler with "Das Beste! Mein Leben zwischen Pubertieren" – the best-of from his famous "Pubertier" series.
Saturday, January 24th, 2026, 8:00 PM — Zentrum: Fritz Egner – the BR radio legend recounts anecdotes from his autobiography, accompanied by songs and video.
Friday, January 30th, 2026, 8:00 PM — Zentrum: Jürgen Todenhöfer speaks about his travels in conflict zones and reads from his memoirs – childhood in the bombing war, lifelong activism against war.
Thursday, February 26th, 2026, 8:00 PM — Zentrum: Axel Hacke closes the festival with "Wie fühlst du dich?" – an exploration of the inner life in turbulent times.

More info and tickets at leselust-bayreuth.de.

Prices Leselust Bayreuth 2026

Tickets via leselust-bayreuth.de and okticket.de, and at the partner bookstore "im Kircheneck". Admission prices vary by event.

Practical information

Practical information — Leselust Bayreuth

Getting there

The Zentrum: Äußere Badstraße 7a, within walking distance of Bayreuth train station (approx. 10 minutes). By car: A9 (exit Bayreuth-Nord), parking available in the city center. VR-Bank: Hohenzollernring 31, also near the train station.

Tickets

Online via leselust-bayreuth.de and at the partner bookstore "im Kircheneck". Also sold via okticket.de.

Dates

Most readings start at 8:00 PM at the Zentrum. The children's reading on January 17th, 2026, starts at 11:00 AM at the VR-Bank.

Bayreuth's major winter literature series

The Leselust Festival is Bayreuth's most significant literary event outside the Bayreuth Festival season. From January to February, the series annually presents a carefully curated selection of prominent authors in the Upper Franconian festival city. The venue is usually the Zentrum at Äußere Badstraße 7a; the children's program traditionally takes place in the morning at the VR-Bank Bayreuth-Hof at Hohenzollernring 31. The organizers are the Bayreuth agency Motion Kommunikation GmbH and the Nordbayerischer Kurier.

Seven evenings, seven voices (2026 edition)

The 2026 edition, from January 13th to February 26th, 2026, features seven readings with best-selling and long-selling authors, a comedy bestseller star, a political star, and a radio legend. The opening features the young successful author Caroline Wahl, and the Munich-based linguistic connoisseur Axel Hacke closes the festival.

Bayreuth as a literary hub

Bayreuth is world-famous for its music through the Bayreuth Festival – but literarily, the main burden is carried by publishers, bookstores, and organizers like the Leselust Festival. The series has been successful for years and regularly fills the Zentrum. It fills a gap in the Upper Franconian event calendar and is a popular destination for audiences from Bayreuth, Hof, Kulmbach, and the upper Fichtelgebirge.

The "Zentrum" as a venue

The Zentrum at Äußere Badstraße 7a is Bayreuth's event hall for medium-sized readings, comedy, and cabaret evenings. The acoustically sound hall can accommodate several hundred guests, with a well-visible stage and intimate seating – ideal for the mix of readings, discussions, and musical accents that characterize the Leselust program.

Children's reading at VR-Bank

A special feature of the festival is the children's reading on Saturday mornings, traditionally held at the VR-Bank Bayreuth-Hof at Hohenzollernring 31 – a dedicated space that directly appeals to the youngest readers. In 2026, Stephan Bach will read from "Helden der Weide".

Partner bookstore

The Buchhandlung im Kircheneck bookstore accompanies the festival as a book partner. On event evenings, there is a book table with the authors' titles; books can also be ordered in advance.