Rock am Brühl Calw

Rock am Brühl — Calw's Open-Air Summer

When the stage is set up in Brühlpark at the end of July, Calw is ready for its biggest rock weekend. Rock am Brühl brings two festival evenings with a total of ten bands to the northern Black Forest park on July 24th and 25th, 2026. Brühlpark — a green oasis between the Nagold river and the old town — offers the perfect setting: trees around the stage, a picnic atmosphere, cool beer, and bratwurst from the local club's kitchen.

Program Concept — Friday and Saturday with Different Intensities

The festival kicks off on Friday, July 24th, starting at 5 PM (doors open) and beginning at 6 PM with four bands. The program is designed for a relaxed warm-up vibe — you come straight from work or school, the park gradually fills up, and the sun sets behind the northern Black Forest hills. Saturday, July 25th, is the main event with six bands; doors open at 3 PM, starting at 4 PM, the program lasts late into the night.

Part of Kultursommer Nordschwarzwald 2026

Rock am Brühl is integrated into Kultursommer Nordschwarzwald 2026 — a regionally coordinated program of open-air concerts, theater performances, and cultural events taking place between May and September in the Calw district and neighboring municipalities. The festival is one of the rock-oriented pillars of this program and is aimed particularly at a young, regionally rooted audience from Calw, Bad Wildbad, Bad Liebenzell, Nagold, and southwestern Pforzheim.

Calw — Hermann Hesse's Town in the Northern Black Forest

Calw, with around 23,000 inhabitants, is the district capital of the Landkreis Calw, located at the entrance to the Nordschwarzwald (Northern Black Forest) on the Nagold river. The town is famous as the birthplace of the Nobel Prize-winning author Hermann Hesse (1877–1962); the old town with its half-timbered houses around the market square is considered one of the most beautiful in southern Germany. From the market square, you can walk to Brühlpark in a few minutes — the festival also invites you to explore the old town and the Hermann Hesse Museum. The nearby Black Forest National Park and the Wildberg forest are popular hiking destinations for an extended festival weekend.

Brühlpark — The Green Stage

Brühlpark stretches along the Nagold river between the train station and the old town. In summer, the park is regularly used for open-air events — Rock am Brühl is one of the fixed highlights. The lawn in front of the stage can accommodate around 1,500 to 2,000 visitors; the atmosphere is familiar and non-commercial. Food and drinks are provided by local clubs and caterers.