Sommerwerft — International River Theatre Festival

25 Years of Theatre on the Main

What began in 2002 as a small summer project for Frankfurt's independent theatre scene has developed into one of Germany's most important open-air festivals. The Sommerwerft at the Weseler Werft on the eastern bank of the Main attracts around 110,000 visitors annually, with about 200 artists and groups performing on its stages — all with free admission on a donation basis. 2026 will be a celebration: the 25th anniversary, with 17 days of programming from July 24 to August 9.

The 2026 Motto: "The Ocean Begins in Frankfurt"

The anniversary theme puts the river itself in the spotlight — and with it, the idea that every stream, every river eventually flows into an ocean. Sommerwerft conceives the Main as the beginning of the ocean, using this as a basis for an intercultural, ecologically grounded program: performances between water and shipyard, soundscapes, installations, and plays that explore migration, water conservation, and responsibility.

Stages and Disciplines

Sommerwerft interprets the word "festival" broadly: theatre, dance, music, poetry, performance, contemporary circus, workshops, installations. Several stages are spread along the Main riverbank; in the evenings, some performances are staged against the backdrop of the sunset. Frankfurt's independent theatres like Antagon TheaterAKTion and the organizing project Protagon e.V. form the core, complemented by international groups — many from the Global South.

Blue Lab 2026 — Five Days of Learning by the Water

From July 29 to August 2, the Blue Lab opens on the shipyard grounds: an inclusive space for learning and experience that tells the story of waterways as a journey from source to ocean. The lab's values: respect, responsibility, democracy, inclusion. Children, teenagers, and adults can attend workshops, talk with scientists, and experience installations.

Donation-Based — And It's Worked for 25 Years

Sommerwerft is culture for everyone, with everyone. Admission is free; donation boxes are placed at the stage exits. Those who can and want to pay, do so. Those who cannot receive the same program. This model has sustained the festival — even through the difficult pandemic years — and makes it an almost unique model in the German festival landscape.