Sommerfestival der Kulturen Stuttgart

Sommerfestival der Kulturen — Stuttgart as a Global Stage

For over two decades, the Sommerfestival der Kulturen has been the largest intercultural festival in Southern Germany. The organizer is Forum der Kulturen Stuttgart e.V., the umbrella organization of approximately 130 (post-)migrant associations and intercultural initiatives in the state capital. The 23rd edition in 2026 runs from July 14 to 19, 2026, around Marktplatz as well as in Kirchstraße and on Schillerplatz in the heart of Stuttgart-Mitte.

What to Experience

Six days of world music on two stages, every day from afternoon until late evening. The 2026 program covers an extraordinary spectrum — from Hungarian folk-punk and West African pop to Latin American cumbia and Turkish jazz, as well as South African folk-world music and Romani sounds.

Market of Cultures — The Heartbeat of the Festival

The Market of Cultures unfolds around the stages: around 70 Stuttgart-based (post-)migrant organizations present themselves at stalls. You'll find international cuisine from numerous countries, arts and crafts, traditional costumes, cultural information, and advisory services. Here, visitors are not served a tourist cliché, but genuine diaspora culture — the communities themselves staff their stalls.

Children's Program and Workshops

The festival has an explicitly family-friendly approach: dance and drumming workshops for children, storytellers in several languages, craft activities, and play stations. On Sunday, July 19, a special morning program "Music and Dances of the World" runs from 11 am — ideal for families.

Stuttgart-Mitte as a Stage

The venue is the historic center of Stuttgart: The festival grounds stretch from Marktplatz in front of the town hall, through Kirchstraße, to Schillerplatz in front of the Old Castle. It's hard to imagine a better stage — for six days, Stuttgart's city center shows itself for what it is: multilingual, diverse, vibrant.

Free Admission — and Politically Intended

The Sommerfestival der Kulturen sees itself not just as entertainment, but as a cultural-political statement: migration and cultural diversity are realities in Stuttgart, and the festival makes them visible and celebrated. Admission is therefore deliberately free — no one should be excluded because of the price. The event is financed by municipal funds, sponsorship, and stall revenue.