Gemmingen Parkfest 2026

25 Years of Parkfest in the English Garden

Every two years, the clubs of the municipality of Gemmingen in the Heilbronn district—together with their colleagues from the Stebbach district—transform the historic castle park into a large festival grounds. The 25th edition of the Parkfest 2026 will take place on the weekend of July 25th and 26th. Gemmingen Castle Park is a facility based on the principles of English landscape architecture, purchased and renovated by the municipality in the 1980s. Its center is a pond fed by the Murrbach stream, on the north bank of which stands an octagonal wooden pavilion—the main performance venue for Stage 1 of the festival.

Clubs as Festival Hosts

Unlike commercial events, the Parkfest is organized and hosted entirely by Gemmingen and Stebbach clubs. The Gemmingen Music Club, the Stebbach Sports Club, the Liederkranz choir, the Rifle Club, the fire departments, and the rural youth association set up stalls, cook, serve drinks, and handle stage moderation. Each program highlight is traditionally introduced by a different club—a concept that unites the community and is proudly presented every two years.

Saturday, July 25th — Festival Evening with Laser Show

Saturday evening, July 25th, is the heart of the festival. The stalls open at 6:00 PM, and live bands will play on the main stage by the pond pavilion from 8:00 PM. The highlight of the evening will be the grand laser show around 10:30 PM—a spectacular production with light beams, fog machines, and musical accompaniment, transforming the castle park into a surreal world of light. Afterward, a DJ group will play until midnight.

Sunday, July 26th — Family Festival

Sunday, July 26th, is the family day of the Parkfest. The traditional morning pint with brass music at the pavilion starts at 11:00 AM. Lunch with specialties from local restaurateurs, an afternoon program with children's activities—face painting, bouncy castle, hands-on stations—and performances by Gemmingen youth groups characterize the day. Towards the evening, the festival concludes with a final concert, ending by 10:00 PM at the latest.

Gemmingen Castle Park — The Green Heart of the Community

The castle park is Gemmingen's green heart. The octagonal wooden pavilion by the pond is the venue for concerts, theater performances, and open-air cinema. Every two years, the entire park is taken over for the Parkfest. The park is otherwise open all year round and is a popular excursion destination for families from the Kraichgau region. With the 25th edition, the clubs celebrate half a century of tradition—because 25 times every two years means around 50 years.