Name: SPIELSTARK — Children's and Youth Theatre Festival 2026
Start: 2026-02-27T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-03-06T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Schlosstheater Ottweiler und Theater am Ring Saarlouis (Hauptspielstätten)

SPIELSTARK Festival

About SPIELSTARK Festival

SPIELSTARK is the most important children's and youth theatre festival in Saarland — and one of the most renowned in Southwest Germany. In 2026, the 24th edition will take place from February 27 to March 6, 2026, in Ottweiler and Saarlouis: nine selected productions for children aged four and up to teenagers aged 14, presented by ensembles from all over Germany and Austria. With a theatre prize endowed with 1,000 euros, workshops, readings, and street theatre surrounding the main events.

Dates 27 Feb — 06 Mar 2026

Venue Ottweiler (10043)

Prices 4.00€ — 12.00€

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

SPIELSTARK Festival — edition 2026

Tickets →

From February 27 to March 6, 2026, the 24th edition of the SPIELSTARK children's and youth theatre festival will take place. Nine productions at the Schlosstheater Ottweiler and the Theater am Ring Saarlouis, plus workshops, readings, street theatre, and the theatre prize ceremony.

The 2026 programme brings together leading companies from German-language children's and youth theatre. Reservations are handled by the Ottweiler Town Hall and the Saarlouis Cultural Office. The complete daily programme with show times and venues will be published at ueberzwerg.de/festival-spielstark/.

Highlights SPIELSTARK Festival 2026

Nine selected productions from Germany and Austria
Venues in Ottweiler and Saarlouis
Theatre prize of €1,000 for the best production
Workshops, readings, treasure hunts, street theatre
For children aged 4 and up to teenagers aged 14
24th edition — a tradition growing since 2003

Programme SPIELSTARK Festival 2026

Festival Week February 27 – March 6, 2026

Venues: Schlosstheater Ottweiler and Theater am Ring Saarlouis.

Invited Productions 2026

Theater Morgenroth & Schwester (Nuremberg)
Theater Marabu (Bonn)
Landesbühnen Sachsen (Radebeul)
theaterkohlenpott (Herne)
Theaterhaus Ensemble Frankfurt
Follow the Rabbit (Graz, Austria)
In-house productions by Theater überzwerg Saarbrücken
Two additional guest performances

Supporting Programme

Workshops for children and teenagers (acting, masks, stage design)
Readings from current children's and youth books
Treasure hunts through Ottweiler and Saarlouis
Literary discussions with authors
Street theatre in the city centres

Award

At the end of the festival: Awarding of the Theatre Prize (€1,000 for the best production)

The daily performance schedule is available on the festival website and through the municipal contact points.

Prices SPIELSTARK Festival 2026

Admission per performance tiered: Children from €4, adults from €8. Workshops often free. Reservations: Ottweiler Town Hall (06824 300828) or Saarlouis Cultural Office (06831 69890-13/16).

Practical information

Practical information — SPIELSTARK Festival

Getting There

Ottweiler: By train — Ottweiler station is a 10-minute walk from the Schlosstheater. Direct connections from Saarbrücken (30 min.). By car via A1, exit Neunkirchen-Ost. Saarlouis: By train — Saarlouis station is an 8-minute walk from the Theater am Ring. By car via A8.

Tickets

Reservations via the Ottweiler Town Hall (06824 300828) or the Saarlouis Cultural Office (06831 69890-13/16). Tickets are age-tiered: children from €4 per performance, adults from €8. Workshops are often free.

A Festival with Ambition and Reach

The SPIELSTARK festival was initiated in 2003 by Theater überzwerg in Saarbrücken and has since become the most important platform for children's and youth theatre in Saarland. 2026 marks the 24th edition — proof of how sustainably the format has established itself. The festival is organized in cooperation with the town of Ottweiler and the European City of Saarlouis, with support from the Saarland's Minister of Culture, Christine Streichert-Clivot.

Format and Concept

The focus is on nine productions, shown over the course of a festival week at two main venues:

Schlosstheater Ottweiler — a small baroque gem with an intimate atmosphere
Theater am Ring Saarlouis — a modern venue with stage technology for more elaborate productions

The selected plays are curated by a jury and cover the entire age range — from children's theatre for ages 4 and up to sophisticated youth plays for ages 14 and up.

Invited Ensembles 2026

The 2026 selection brings together leading children's and youth theatre companies from Germany and Austria:

Theater Morgenroth & Schwester (Nuremberg)
Theater Marabu (Bonn)
Landesbühnen Sachsen (Radebeul)
theaterkohlenpott (Herne)
Theaterhaus Ensemble Frankfurt
Follow the Rabbit (Graz, Austria)
In-house productions by Theater überzwerg

Theatre Prize and Supporting Programme

A highlight of every festival is the awarding of the Theatre Prize, endowed with 1,000 euros for the best production. A professional jury selects the most award-worthy performance at the end of the festival. The festival also offers a rich supporting programme:

Workshops for children and teenagers on acting, masks, and stage design
Readings from current children's and youth books
Treasure hunts through Ottweiler and Saarlouis
Literary discussions with authors
Street theatre in the city centres of both locations

Theater überzwerg as the Organizer

Behind SPIELSTARK is Theater überzwerg in Saarbrücken — one of the most important independent stages in Saarland, specializing in children's and youth theatre. The theatre at Kästnerplatz in the St. Johann district of Saarbrücken produces its own shows year-round and performs with the festival in partner cities.

Saarland Theatre between Ottweiler and Saarlouis

The choice of Ottweiler in the Neunkirchen district and Saarlouis as festival locations is programmatic: instead of staying solely in the state capital, SPIELSTARK brings top-tier theatre to the medium-sized towns of Saarland — making sophisticated children's theatre accessible to families who would otherwise rarely have the opportunity to enjoy it.