Quirl Open Air Bergisch Gladbach

Bergisch Gladbach — Quirl, Sunday, 5 PM

Bergisch Gladbach is the district capital of the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis, bordering Cologne to the east, and with around 112,000 inhabitants, it is one of the ten largest cities in North Rhine-Westphalia. When you hear the name "Quirl", you don't immediately think of culture — but that's precisely the point: Quirl is the beer garden at Bergisch Gladbach's Gnadenkirche (Church of Grace) on Hauptstraße 264, and for years, Quirl e.V. has hosted one of North Rhine-Westphalia's most original volunteer concert series there.

A Season from May to October — Every Sunday

The concept is simple and consistent: From the first Sunday in May to the first Sunday in October, a band plays every Sunday at 5 PM in the Quirl beer garden. Free admission. Donations (hat collection) are welcome. In 2026, this means approximately 25 dates from May 3 to October 4 — a packed program that makes Bergisch Gladbach a firm anchor in the Rhenish live music scene.

The 2026 Program — Soul, Blues, Funk, Americana

The booking is deliberately broad in style, but with a clear signature. Confirmed acts include:

• May 3 — Seegermusic (Season opener)
• May 10 — Sly
• May 17 — Halvlang
• May 24 — Soulralle & T.W.K. (Soul, Blues, Rock with fine guitar arrangements)
• May 31 — Lorenz & Hövelmann (Blues, well-known Rhenish musicians)
• June 7 — Page 1 (Soul, Funk, Pop with singer Petra Kirchner)
• June 14 — Taumeltones (acoustic rock trio, classic covers)
• June 21 — The Hub Club (Funk, Pop, Neo-Soul, founded in 2022)
• June 28 — The Tulsa Shuffle (Americana, "ice cold & red hot")
• July 5 — Hoves Meute
• July 12 — Udo Klopke Band
• July 19 — Akustonauten
• July 26 — Jay Ottaway & The Lost Boys
• August – October — further acts: 78 Twins, Into Deep, Old School Rock, handerCover, and many more (details to be added during the season)

Regular Zappa tributes, Country, Indie, and Funk sets are also programmed — the Quirl curation has worked with a stable network of Rhenish live musicians for years.

Quirl e.V. — Community Cultural Work

The organizer is Quirl e.V., a community cultural association based at Gnadenkirche. The association not only hosts concerts in the beer garden but also organizes theater evenings, readings, wine, and cultural events. The series is financed through donations (hat collection), catering revenue, membership fees, and occasional municipal funding — no admission fees, no sponsor stages, no marketing spectacles. The atmosphere is accordingly: cozy, familiar, neighborly.

What Makes Quirl Special

• Free — all 25 concerts are free to attend
• Open Air with Weather Risk — in case of rain, it might be moved to the church; otherwise, it's an open-air beer garden
• Sunday Afternoon at 5 PM — fits perfectly between lunch and dinner
• On-site Catering — drinks, food, classic beer garden fare
• Community-Driven — entirely supported by volunteers

Bergisch Gladbach and Surroundings

For those combining the Sunday concert with a day trip: The Strunde river, the oldest town stream with industrial history, the Diepeschrather Mühlenpark with hiking trails, Schloss Lerbach (Lerbach Castle) with its park, or a trip to Cologne city center (S-Bahn S 11, 20 min.) can be easily combined.