Name: Schlossgrabenfest Darmstadt 2026
Start: 2026-05-21T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-05-24T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Schlossgraben und Innenstadt Darmstadt

Schlossgrabenfest

About Schlossgrabenfest

The Schlossgrabenfest is Hesse's largest city center music festival. From May 21 to 24, 2026, the 26th edition will take place around Darmstadt's Schlossgraben — over 60 bands, 12 DJs, 3 stages, a club zone, and more than 100 culinary stands on 20,000 m². Headliners 2026: Alphaville (Thu), Jan Delay & Disko No.1 (Fri), Zartmann/HE/RO (Sat), Ikkimel/Tom Twers (Sun). Free admission.

Dates 21 May — 24 May 2026

Venue Darmstadt (06411)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Schlossgrabenfest — edition 2026

26th Schlossgrabenfest Darmstadt — from Thursday, May 21, to Sunday, May 24, 2026. Over 60 bands and 12 DJs on 3 stages plus a club zone, 100+ culinary stands on 20,000 m². Headliners: Alphaville (Thu), Jan Delay & Disko No.1 with Das Bo (Fri), Zartmann/HE/RO (Sat), Ikkimel/Tom Twers (Sun). Free admission.

Four days of city center festival. Three main stages (including the MERCK stage), club zone, culinary stands — the science city of Darmstadt transforms for a weekend into Hesse's largest free music festival.

Highlights Schlossgrabenfest 2026

26th edition of Hesse's largest city center festival
Alphaville, Jan Delay, and Ikkimel as headliners
60+ bands, 12 DJs on 3 stages
20,000 m² festival grounds
100+ culinary stands
Completely free admission

Programme Schlossgrabenfest 2026

Thursday, May 21, 2026 — Opening

Alphaville — New Wave legend («Big in Japan», «Forever Young»)
Support acts and stage openings

Friday, May 22, 2026

Jan Delay & Disko No.1 — Rap, Reggae, Funk, Soul
Special Guest: Das Bo
Other bands and DJs on parallel stages

Saturday, May 23, 2026 — Main Evening

Zartmann — on the MERCK stage
HE/RO — on the MERCK stage
Numerous other acts on 3 stages, club zone

Sunday, May 24, 2026 — Finale

Ikkimel — uncompromising rap-techno mix on the MERCK stage
Tom Twers
Other acts and closing program

Format

Over 60 bands and 12 DJs
3 stages plus club zone
20,000 m² festival grounds around the Schlossgraben
Over 100 culinary stands
Genre mix: Rock, Pop, Indie, Punk, Alternative, Hip-Hop, Rap, Singer-Songwriter, Dance, Electro, House

Sponsors and Media Partners

Main sponsors: Merck, ENTEGA
Media partners: Darmstädter Echo, hr3

Prices Schlossgrabenfest 2026

Free admission — no tickets needed. Food and drinks at stands are charged separately. Main sponsors Merck and ENTEGA, media partners Darmstädter Echo and hr3.

Practical information

Practical information — Schlossgrabenfest

Getting There

Darmstadt Main Station, then take a bus or walk to the Schlossgraben (approx. 10 minutes). Everything within the festival grounds is within walking distance.

Admission

Free. Food, drinks, and culinary stands are subject to charge.

Tip

Mark your favorite acts in the program PDF on schlossgrabenfest.de, then have a stage plan handy upon arrival. In warm weather, thousands of people flock here at night — delays at the entrance are not uncommon, so arrive early.

Free Music in the City

The Schlossgrabenfest in Darmstadt is a phenomenon: Hesse's largest city center music festival, right in the heart of the science city, for four days, and all with free admission. What began as a smaller city festival in 2001 has become a festival today with over 60 bands and 12 DJs on 3 stages plus a club zone — attracting an estimated audience in the hundreds of thousands.

26th Edition 2026

From Thursday, May 21, to Sunday, May 24, 2026, the 26th edition will take place. Venue: the entire Schlossgraben around Darmstadt Castle, plus parts of the city center. Spread across 20,000 m²: three main stages, a club zone, and over 100 culinary stands offering international cuisine.

2026 Line-up — Pop to Techno

Headliners 2026: Alphaville (Thu) — the German New Wave legends with «Big in Japan» and «Forever Young»; Jan Delay & Disko No.1 (Fri) with their characteristic mix of rap, reggae, funk, and soul, featuring special guest Das Bo; Zartmann and HE/RO (Sat) on the MERCK stage; Ikkimel and Tom Twers (Sun) with a rap-techno mix.

Three Stages, a Genre Salad

Overall, the program covers a wide genre mix: rock, pop, indie, punk, alternative, hip-hop, rap, singer-songwriter, dance, electro, house. From indie sets in the afternoon to techno beats at night on the same day. Official sponsors Merck and ENTEGA support the festival, with media partners Darmstädter Echo and hr3.

Free Admission — Yet a Premium Festival

The most precious feature: free admission. There are no tickets, no entry control. Anyone who wants to come, can. This makes the Schlossgrabenfest one of Germany's most democratic large festivals.