R·I·M· Festival — Rock im Madertal

Three days, three genres — the R·I·M· concept

The R·I·M· Festival — the abbreviation stands for Rock im Madertal — is a unique feature of the Hechingen region: a festival that doesn't commit to a single style, but brings a different genre to the stage each evening. On October 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, 2026, the Festplatz Weildorf — a meadow on the outskirts of the Haigerloch district of Weildorf — will become the stage for three very different music evenings. The 5th edition of the festival thus unites country fans, rockers, and brass music lovers under one roof.

Friday — Country Night

The festival opener on Friday is dedicated entirely to country music. Duo Nashville and Silver Highway are both acts from the Baden-Württemberg and Southern German country scene, featuring cowboy boots, steel guitar, and a mix of classic honky-tonk standards, modern country hits, and covers of American classics. Cowboy hats and a line-dancing floor are part of the experience.

Saturday — Rock and Metal

Saturday is the loudest day of the festival. Defender brings classic heavy metal to the stage with double guitars and twin-lead solos, Skull & Crossbones rock between hard rock and punk, and She's the BOSS pays tribute to American working-class rock with Bruce Springsteen classics. The evening is designed for headbanging and toasting.

Sunday — Brass Music from Swabia and Bohemia

On Sunday, the festival becomes traditionally festive. The Böhmische Schwoba play the mix of Bohemian-Moravian brass music and Swabian folk music that is very popular in Southern Germany — polkas, waltzes, marches. Afterwards, Blowfeld brings modern brass music arrangements of pop and rock classics to the stage. Sunday is family day with a Frühschoppen (morning pint) and a relaxed atmosphere.

Haigerloch and Weildorf — in the Eyach Valley in the Zollernalb District

Haigerloch is a small town in the Zollernalbkreis with around 11,000 inhabitants, known for its picturesque location on the Eyach river and the striking Haigerloch Castle perched on a rocky outcrop. The town became famous for the Atomkeller Museum — the last experiments of the German uranium project under Werner Heisenberg took place in the beer cellar beneath the castle church in 1945. The district of Weildorf is located on the plateau above Haigerloch; the Weildorf festival grounds on the outskirts offer the typical atmosphere of a Swabian village festival site with meadows, trees, and a relaxed mood.

Rock Im Madertal e.V. — the association behind the festival

Behind the R·I·M· Festival is the association Rock Im Madertal e.V., dedicated to promoting the regional music scene. In addition to the three-day festival in autumn, the association organizes Wildes ·R·I·M· in March and the WOM Revival Party in April — both smaller formats that complement the Madertal Festival. 2026, with its 5th edition, marks a first small anniversary milestone.