Schwalm Rock Festival

Schwalmtal — Lower Rhine municipality with festival tradition

Schwalmtal, a municipality with around 19,000 inhabitants in the Viersen district (Düsseldorf administrative region), is located in the Lower Rhine region between Mönchengladbach and the Dutch border. Known for its nature parks (Schwalm-Nette Nature Park) and tranquil rural life — and since 2024, for a growing rock open-air event. The Schwalm Rock Festival was initiated by a local group to bring the rock and metal scene of the Lower Rhine together on its own stage.

Kart Arena Schwalmtal — the venue

The Kart Arena Schwalmtal is known as a go-kart and event space outside of the festival. For the Schwalm Rock Festival, the arena is converted into an open-air site — a main stage, food truck area, merch tent, and standing room for visitors. The format is intimate: not a mega-field for 50,000 visitors, but a regional festival with around 2,500 spots. If you find Rock am Ring too large and want to get closer to your favorite bands, this is the place for you.

3rd Edition 2026 — a young tradition

2026 marks the 3rd edition. The festival was founded in 2024 and in its second edition in 2025, it already featured 18 bands over two days. For 2026, a one-day event is planned for Saturday, May 30 — doors open at 3 PM, with the first bands typically starting around 4 PM and ending shortly after midnight.

Musical Direction

The festival is clearly positioned for Rock and Metal — no mainstream acts, but a mix of established German rock bands and newcomers. The second edition in 2025 offered a broad spectrum with 18 bands: V8 Wankers, Kensington Road, Leaf, The Tips, Ghosther, and others — mixed with local NRW acts (21bäm!, Blank Pages, Copy'n Paste, Dr. Funk & Mr. Soul, Eight Feet Fine, Out Of Bounce, Sonic Havoc, Sounds Familiar, Superstrada, the Hot Damn!). The 2026 lineup will be announced on the official festival channels.

Ticketing and Prices

Tickets are available via scantickets.de. In 2025, prices for a 2-day ticket were around 60 EUR (pre-sale), with VIP options at 180 EUR — for the one-day event in 2026, similar prices in the lower range are expected (day ticket likely 35–50 EUR pre-sale).

Getting There and Camping

Schwalmtal is located on the A 52 (Schwalmtal exit) and is easiest to reach by car. By train/bus: Schwalmtal-Waldniel station with a bus connection to the Kart Arena. For visitors from out of town, the region around Mönchengladbach and Viersen offers hotels and guesthouses — camping is generally not offered for this one-day event.