Ludwigshafen Festival 2026

Festival since 2004

The Ludwigshafen Festival was founded in 2004 and has since become a firm fixture on the German performing arts calendar. Focusing on contemporary dance, music theatre, and drama, it regularly showcases productions that are otherwise rarely or never seen in German-speaking countries.

Over two and a half months of programming

Running from October 9th to December 20th, 2026, the festival spans nearly two and a half months. This unusually long duration allows for a dense succession of guest performances and premieres without the audience needing to attend multiple shows per day. It makes the festival a curated autumn season rather than a classic weekend event.

Theater im Pfalzbau as the host venue

The Theater im Pfalzbau is one of the most significant theatres in Rhineland-Palatinate and curates the festival. The venue features several performance spaces of varying sizes, enabling it to present stage formats from intimate solo performances to grand music theatre productions.

Dance, Music Theatre, and Drama

The festival's programmatic triad – dance, music theatre, and drama – covers the entire spectrum of performing arts. Leading contemporary companies from Europe are regular guests in the dance section. The music theatre features productions beyond the classical opera canon – new works, post-dramatic formats, and crossover projects. The drama section presents high-calibre ensembles from German-speaking countries with current productions.

National and International Ensembles

From the very beginning, the festival has focused on combining national and international companies. French, Belgian, Dutch, British, Scandinavian, and Eastern European ensembles have been regularly represented in recent years, giving the festival its international profile.

Tickets and Information

Tickets are available from the theatre box office (+49 621 504 25 58) and via the Theater im Pfalzbau website. Advance sales and subscriptions will be activated in summer 2026. The complete 2026 programme will be published by the theatre in due course.