Schwörmontag and Nabada Ulm/Neu-Ulm
The Double City's Highest Holiday — Oath Ceremony, Nabada Danube Parade, and a Whole Week of Festivals and Concerts
About Schwörmontag Ulm
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Schwörmontag Ulm al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Six Hundred Years of City Constitution — and a Bavarian-Württemberg Double Festival
When the Lord Mayor speaks from the balcony of the Schwörhaus on Schwörmontag, he swears allegiance to Ulm's city constitution, which dates back to 1397 — one of Germany's oldest civil statutes. This has evolved into the city's highest holiday, celebrated uninterrupted since the Middle Ages. Today, Schwörmontag is a joint festival for both cities — Ulm in Baden-Württemberg and Neu-Ulm in Bavaria — separated only by the Danube.
Oath Ceremony at 11:00 AM at the Schwörhaus
On Schwörmontag, July 20, 2026, the official day begins with the oath ceremony on Weinhof: At 11:00 AM, the Lord Mayor appears on the balcony of the Schwörhaus and delivers the oath speech — an accountability speech on the state of the city, followed by the actual oath formula, by which he pledges allegiance to the city constitution. The speech is commented on in a civic-political manner; afterwards, the citizens gather on Weinhof and in the old town.
Nabada — the Danube Parade at 4:00 PM
The highlight of Schwörmontag is the Nabada (Alemannic for 'Bathing Down') in the afternoon: Starting at 4:00 PM, thousands of people drift down the Danube between Ulm and Neu-Ulm on rafts, boats, dinghies, and imaginatively costumed floating constructions. The boats are prepared for months — clubs, schools, companies, and groups of friends build elaborate themed boats that serve as satirical-political commentary on city events. Thousands of spectators line the banks on both sides of the Danube. The spectacle is unique in Germany.
The Schwörwoche (Oath Week)
A whole week of festivals surrounds Schwörmontag — the Schwörwoche. This includes:
- The Candlelight Serenade on the Saturday before Schwörmontag, where 12,000 floating lights transform the Danube into a sea of light
- The Oath Sunday Concert: In 2026, Roland Kaiser will perform on Sunday, July 19th, starting at 7:30 PM on Münsterplatz
- The Oath Concert by the Ulm Theater
- The Fischerstechen: traditional water jousting on the Danube
- The Ulm Volksfest on the Friedrichsau grounds, which runs concurrently
- The Civic Festival in the old town with live music, food, and drinks
A Bavarian-Württemberg Co-Production
Since Ulm belongs to Baden-Württemberg and Neu-Ulm to Bavaria, Schwörmontag is organizationally a twin-city festival. The Nabada boats mostly start from the Neu-Ulm side and drift towards Ulm's old town. The oath speech formally applies only to Ulm — but Neu-Ulm actively participates with its own program, refreshment stands, and boats.
Schwörmontag Ulm — edition 2026
Week Structure 2026
- Saturday, July 18 — Candlelight Serenade on the Danube with 12,000 lights
- Sunday, July 19, 7:30 PM — Oath Sunday Concert with Roland Kaiser at Münsterplatz Ulm
- Monday, July 20, 11:00 AM — Oath Ceremony by the Lord Mayor from the Schwörhaus balcony
- Monday, July 20, 4:00 PM — Nabada on the Danube between Neu-Ulm and Ulm
- Concurrently: Jousting on the Danube, the Ulm Volksfest on Friedrichsau, and the Civic Festival in the old town
- Oath Concert by the Ulm Theater as part of the Schwörwoche
Roland Kaiser on Sunday
The 2026 Oath Sunday Concert will be performed by Schlager star Roland Kaiser. On Sunday, July 19th, starting at 7:30 PM, the Münsterplatz in front of Ulm Minster will transform into an open-air concert venue. Tickets online via schwoermontag.com.
Programme Schwörmontag Ulm 2026
Program Structure Schwörwoche 2026
Saturday, July 18, 2026 — Candlelight Serenade
- Evening: 12,000 floating lights are released onto the Danube
- Atmospheric scene with a sea of lights on the water, music on the banks
Sunday, July 19, 2026 — Oath Sunday
- Daytime: Volksfest on Friedrichsau, Civic Festival in the old town
- 7:30 PM — Oath Sunday Concert with Roland Kaiser at Münsterplatz Ulm (ticket required)
Monday, July 20, 2026 — Schwörmontag (Highlight)
- 11:00 AM — Oath Ceremony by the Lord Mayor from the balcony of the Schwörhaus on Weinhof
- Morning/Afternoon: Civic Festival, Volksfest, preparation for jousting
- 4:00 PM — Nabada: Thousands of people drift down the Danube between Neu-Ulm and Ulm on boats and rafts
- Evening: Festival winding down in the tents and eateries of both cities
Accompanying events during Schwörwoche
- Jousting on the Danube (traditional water lance fights)
- Oath Concert by the Ulm Theater
- Ulm Volksfest on Friedrichsau
Full event calendar of the Schwörwoche, official page of the city of Ulm for Schwörmontag, and the City of Neu-Ulm.
Highlights Schwörmontag Ulm 2026
- Oath ceremony at 11 AM from the Schwörhaus balcony (City Constitution of 1397)
- Nabada Danube parade at 4 PM with thousands of boats
- Roland Kaiser live on July 19th at 7:30 PM at Münsterplatz
- Candlelight Serenade on July 18th with 12,000 lights on the Danube
- Ulm Theater Oath Concert
- Ulm Volksfest and Civic Festival concurrently
Prices Schwörmontag Ulm 2026
Oath ceremony and Nabada from the riverbanks are freely accessible. Volksfest and Civic Festival are free (food and drinks to be paid for by attendees). Roland Kaiser Oath Sunday Concert requires a ticket — tickets online via schwoermontag.com and established ticket outlets.
Practical information — Schwörmontag Ulm
Getting There
By train: Ulm Central Station (ICE stop) and Neu-Ulm Station. By car: A8, A7, A8 — Ulm/Neu-Ulm is easily accessible from Munich, Stuttgart, Augsburg, and Würzburg. Parking is severely restricted on Schwörmontag, so arriving by public transport is recommended.
Locations
- Oath Ceremony: Weinhof, Schwörhaus balcony, Ulm
- Nabada: Danube between Neu-Ulm and Ulm — best viewing spots on the banks from Friedrichsau (Ulm) and Donaupark (Neu-Ulm)
- Roland Kaiser Oath Concert: Münsterplatz Ulm
- Ulm Volksfest: Friedrichsau Ulm
Admission
Oath ceremony, Nabada spectator spots on the banks, and Volksfest are free. Roland Kaiser Oath Sunday Concert requires a ticket (tickets online via schwoermontag.com).
Participation Notice
Anyone wishing to participate in the Nabada with their own boat must register with the organizer in advance — the Danube is closed to regular shipping traffic during this time, and safety regulations are monitored.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
Max. 5 photos, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Each suggestion is reviewed by our team before being published.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Schwörmontag Ulm al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Where it takes place Schwörmontag Ulm
Donau, Münsterplatz, Schwörhaus — Ulm und Neu-Ulm