Mühlhausen Plum Blossom Festival

Plum Blossom Festival — Mühlhausen's Whitsun Tradition Since 1908

Since 1908, the Mühlhausen Plum Blossom Festival has been the most important city festival of the North Thuringian World Heritage City of Mühlhausen — and at the same time one of the most prominent Whitsun festivals in Central Germany. It celebrates the city's plum jam tradition, which in the 19th century was known far beyond the region for its homemade preserves and famous plum beer. Today, the festival is the social highlight of the Whitsun calendar in the Unstrut-Hainich district.

The Former Free Imperial City

Mühlhausen/Thuringia, located in the state of Thuringia, is one of the most historically significant cities in Central Germany. In the Middle Ages, the city was a Free Imperial City — a city-republic directly subordinate to the emperor — and remains one of the best-preserved examples of this political constitution. The medieval city wall with its towers, the town hall, several city gates, and over 600 half-timbered houses make the old town one of the most impressive in Central Germany. Mühlhausen is also the city of Thomas Müntzer, who worked here as a pastor from 1525 and was executed during the Peasants' War.

Four Stages, Over 40 Acts

The festival is consistently decentralized: four stages in four central squares of the old town — Untermarkt, Kornmarkt, Obermarkt, and Kuttelgasse. Over 40 acts perform over the three Whitsun days. The styles range from folk and singer-songwriter to classic pop and rock, electro-pop, swing, and reggae. The program is designed to be family-friendly.

Highlight 2026 — Glasperlenspiel as Headliner

The electro-pop duo Glasperlenspiel — Carolin Niemczyk and Daniel Grunenberg — will perform the headliner slot in 2026 on Whitsun Sunday, May 24, at 11 PM. Other acts include: Goodbeats (Funk/Reggae/Rock/Hip-Hop), SimpleLive (Rock/Pop Covers), Jolly Jumper (Party Band), and Kulturbund Swingers (Swing/Jazz). After-parties with DJs at Stadtkeller Mühlhausen round off the festival weekend.

The Kuttelgasse — Culinary Heartpiece

The culinary heartpiece of the festival is the "Schmackadellenmarkt" (delicacy market) in the narrow Kuttelgasse. Here, traditional Mühlhausen specialties are sold: Schmackadellen (regional meat specialties), plum jam, homemade bread, and the famous plum beer from the local brewery. The Kuttelgasse is one of the narrowest alleys in the old town and forms a dense, cozy gourmet experience during the festival.