Rock Kids Festival St. Pauli

From the Kiez for the Kiez

Spielbudenplatz on the Reeperbahn is the ultimate myth for loud nights, live music, and big-city clichés. It is precisely here that the association St. Pauli Rock Kids e.V. organizes a festival once a year that radically flips the perspective: not stars from outside, but children and teenagers from the neighbourhood take to the stage. The motto "From St. Pauli, for St. Pauli" is taken literally on stage — and at the same time, the festival opens itself up to families from the entire Hanseatic city.

Stage Stars Between 8 and 18 Years Old

The focus is on the youth music program: local school bands, solo acts, youth ensembles from St. Pauli's and Hamburg-Mitte's music schools play live sets of 15 to 30 minutes. The genres range from classic rock to punk and hip-hop to original compositions. The stage is professionally equipped, sound technicians and the event crew work on a voluntary basis — an appreciation that has its own value.

Trash Drumming and Trying Out Instruments

A central element of the festival are the hands-on stations. During trash drumming, children can develop collective rhythms using buckets, barrels, and sticks. At other stations, they can try out drums, bass, electric guitar, keyboard, and microphone — so that a festival visit often becomes the first step towards their own musical practice.

Guest Stars and Musical Support

In previous years, acts such as Radau!, Tonbandgerät, Sukini, and Kool Katz have performed as guest appearances — artists who understand their own careers as supporters of the next generation. It is precisely this connection between established Hamburg musicians and young talent that shapes the character of the festival.

St. Pauli as a Family Location

St. Pauli is often reduced to its nightlife. The Rock Kids Festival shows a different truth: the neighbourhood in the Hamburg-Mitte district is a vibrant family location with active youth culture. The festival is a conscious contribution to this neighbourhood dimension — freely accessible, participatory, with a clear educational mission.