Name: Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival 2026
Start: 2026-09-25T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-09-27T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Innenstadt Sonneberg (Woolworth-Platz, Stadtpark, Deutsches Spielzeugmuseum)

Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival

About Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival

The Stadt- und Museumsfest is the largest cultural festival in Sonneberg, the historic toy city in the Sonneberg district on the Bavarian border. For three days – from September 25 to 27, 2026 – the colourful programme extends from Woolworth-Platz to the Stadtpark and the German Toy Museum. Beer tapping on Friday, lantern procession to the German Toy Museum, concerts, stilt walkers, puppeteers, and a Sunday with extended shopping hours and local shopping ('Heimatshoppen') characterise the festival, which celebrates Sonneberg's unique toy heritage.

Dates 25 Sep — 27 Sep 2026

Venue Sonneberg (16072)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival — edition 2026

The Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival runs from September 25 to 27, 2026, with beer tapping on Friday, a lantern procession to the German Toy Museum, concerts, and stilt walkers, as well as a Sunday with extended shopping hours and local shopping ('Heimatshoppen'). Application deadline for exhibitors: July 15, 2026.

Festival mile from the town centre to the German Toy Museum

The programme is spread over three days and several stages: lower town centre at Woolworth-Platz, Stadtpark, area in front of the German Toy Museum.

Highlights Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival 2026

Lantern procession on Friday evening, stilt walkers on Saturday, 'Heimatshoppen' Sunday, special opening of the German Toy Museum.

Programme Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival 2026

Friday, September 25, 2026 – Opening

Beer tapping (Opening)
Lantern procession from the German Toy Museum to the Stadtpark
Fire magic show in the Stadtpark
Stage programme in the town centre

Saturday, September 26, 2026 – Concert and Family Day

Concerts on the main stage (town centre / Stadtpark)
Stilt walkers, puppeteers, hands-on workshops
Family activities around the German Toy Museum
Culinary and catering stands along the festival mile

Sunday, September 27, 2026 – Local Shopping ('Heimatshoppen')

Sunday with extended shopping hours with 'Heimatshoppen' initiative: supporting local retailers
Family programme and closing concert
Special opening of the German Toy Museum

Current detailed programme available at sonneberg.de.

Prices Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival 2026

Free admission to the festival. German Toy Museum admission fee applies (special opening during the festival weekend).

Practical information

Practical information — Sonneberg Town and Museum Festival

Getting There

Train: Sonneberg station (RE via Erfurt/Coburg). Car: B89 / B281 exit Sonneberg.

Admission

Festival grounds are freely accessible. German Toy Museum according to tariff.

Tip

The lantern procession on Friday evening is the visual highlight, Sunday is for families and local shopping ('Heimatshoppen').

Sonneberg – the Toy City

For centuries, Sonneberg in the southern Thuringian district of Sonneberg was the global centre of the toy industry. This is where teddy bears, building blocks, trains, and plush toys were made for the global market. To this day, the city is home to the German Toy Museum, one of the oldest and most significant specialised museums in Europe.

The Town Festival Celebrating Toys

The Stadt- und Museumsfest combines a classic town festival with a tribute to this heritage. The festival mile stretches from Woolworth-Platz in the lower town centre, through Bahnhofsstraße, up to the Stadtpark and the German Toy Museum. Three days, multiple stages, a diverse programme.

Three-Day Programme

Opening with beer tapping on Friday, an evening lantern procession from the German Toy Museum to the Stadtpark with a fire magic show. Saturday is concert and family day – stilt walkers, puppeteers, and hands-on activities in the park. Sunday features a Sunday with extended shopping hours and local shopping ('Heimatshoppen'), a regional initiative to support local retailers.

Application Deadline July 15, 2026

The application deadline for exhibitors and associations ends on July 15, 2026 – an indication of the professional organisation of the festival by the City of Sonneberg.