Stadtfest Gießen

Central Hesse's Big Summer Festival

The Stadtfest Gießen is one of the largest folk festivals (Volksfeste) in Central Hesse. Every year on the third weekend of August, Gießen's city center transforms into an open festival mile – with several stages, culinary offerings from regional to international, and a children's program that makes the university city a meeting point for families for three days. Between 130,000 and 150,000 visitors come annually, and the festival is organized by Gießen Marketing GmbH.

Stages and Music

The program is spread across several stages in the city center: Berliner Platz, Kirchenplatz, Seltersweg, Marktplatz. A wide spectrum is offered – cover bands, pop acts, Schlager, rock, sometimes DJ sets late in the evening. Admission to all stages is free; the program is usually published a few weeks before the festival on giessen-entdecken.de.

Sports, Culinary Delights, and Children

In addition to music, sports demonstrations, club stands, and a dedicated children's program are part of the city festival's concept. Clubs, sports teams, and aid organizations from the city and region present themselves – the city festival is also a stage for Gießen's civil society. Culinary-wise, there's everything you'd expect at a Central Hesse city festival, from hearty Hessian home cooking (Handkäs, Bratwurst, Apfelwein) to Mediterranean, Asian, or Latin American specialties.

University City with Festival Culture

With around 92,000 inhabitants and the Justus Liebig University, Gießen is the largest city in Central Hesse and one of the most student-oriented cities in Germany. The city festival benefits from this: a young audience, a great atmosphere, but also a classic family program during the day.

Plan B for Rain

The festival takes place in all weather. The stages are covered, and many stands have gazebos. However, if you're traveling in Hesse in August, keep the third Sunday of August in mind – with summer weather, Gießen's city center is one big festival hall that weekend.