35. Meininger Kleinkunsttage 2026

Cabaret as Meiningen's Trademark — Since 1992

Meiningen boasts an extraordinary theatre tradition: The Meiningen Court Theatre under Duke Georg II revolutionized German theatre art in the 19th century. In this tradition, another format has been established since 1992: the Meininger Kleinkunsttage. Today, it is among the most traditional and renowned cabaret festivals in Thuringia. The programme combines cabaret, comedy, mime, musical stage shows, and humorous readings — bringing artists of national significance to Southern Thuringia.

The «Meininger Georg» — Thuringian Cabaret Prize

The festival traditionally celebrates the awarding of the Thuringian Cabaret Prize with the distinctive name «Meininger Georg» — an allusion to Duke Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen, the theatre duke of the 19th century. The award is endowed with €5,555.55. In 2026, the Swiss duo Elisabeth Hart & Rhaban Straumann will be honoured for their programme «Wollen Sie wippen?» (February 27, 2026). The award ceremony is always one of the first programme points of the season and simultaneously one of the most sought-after tickets.

Festival Structure Over Almost an Entire Year

A special feature of the Meininger Kleinkunsttage: It is not a concentrated week-long festival but spans an entire year — from January to October. There's a good reason for this: Instead of overloading the Volkshaus for ten days, the city of Meiningen distributes the highlight dates throughout the season's calendar. This gives each evening a special significance. The Volkshaus Meiningen (Landsberger Straße 2b) is the main venue, supplemented by the Kammerspiele and individual performances at the Kressehof Walldorf.

Highlights 2026 — From January to October

The 35th edition kicks off with Michael Hatzius and «Echsklusiv» (January 23). This is followed by the Cabaret-Theater Weimar with «Goethe Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten» (January 30), Die feisten with «Familienfest» (March 7), Backstreet Noise at the Kressehof Walldorf (March 15), Hans Gerzlich «Ich hatte mich jünger in Erinnerung» (March 26), Ingmar Stadelmann «Stadelmann liest Höcke» (May 3), Isabel Varell (September 11), Felice & Cortes (October 9), and Daniel Helfrich (October 16).

Meiningen — District of Schmalkalden-Meiningen

Meiningen is located in the Werra Valley in Southern Thuringia, in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district, state of Thuringia. With around 20,000 inhabitants, the town is manageable — but its cultural offerings are known far beyond the region. Theatre tradition, Elisabethenburg Palace, the English Garden, and the Volkshaus form a dense cultural network into which the Kleinkunsttage have been organically woven for over three decades.