StadtSommerKassel – Open Air Hessenkampfbahn (Jazeek & Johannes Oerding)

Karlsaue as an Open-Air Stage

The Karlswiese at Hessenkampfbahn in Kassel has been one of Hesse's most beautiful open-air venues for years. Located directly on the edge of the Karlsaue, the baroque parkland of the Hessian Landgraves, the stage offers a rare combination in Germany of urban accessibility and natural scenery. In the summer of 2026, the City of Kassel will use this venue for a double event, presenting two prominent German pop acts in one weekend under the umbrella of the municipal Stadtsommer program.

Saturday: Jazeek – Summer Take Over

Kicking things off on Saturday, August 15, 2026, starting at 8 PM, is Jazeek. The Berlin-based pop artist is on his "Summer Take Over 2026" tour, making a stop in Kassel on a tour that takes him across Germany and Europe between July and September. Hits like "AKON," "Ma Baby," "Playboybunnies," and "Superstars" are expected, along with live premieres of new tracks produced for the tour. Visually, the show features a larger, louder, and more intense stage concept than previous tours – Jazeek is definitively positioning himself in the top league of German pop.

Sunday: Johannes Oerding – Sommer Open Airs

On Sunday, August 16, 2026, starting at 8 PM, Johannes Oerding takes the stage. Originally from Münster and now based in Hamburg, he is one of Germany's most successful pop singer-songwriters and a coach on the Sat.1 show "The Voice of Germany." His "Sommer Open Airs 2026" tour stops in Kassel with a setlist spanning his discography: from "Alles brennt," "An guten Tagen," and "Hundert Leben" to songs from his latest album. Oerding is known for emotional concerts with a live band and intense audience interaction – the Karlswiese on a summer evening is the ideal setting.

StadtSommer as the Framework

The two concerts are integrated into the city's StadtSommer Kassel program, a series of open-air events that take place at Kassel's main venues between May and September. The organizer of both concerts is MM Konzerte GmbH, which handles booking and logistics in close coordination with the City of Kassel. Both concerts are ticketed separately – those who want to attend both evenings must purchase separate tickets.

Karlsaue as Tourist Surroundings

For those traveling from the surrounding region, it's worth exploring the surroundings: The Karlsaue is one of Germany's most beautiful baroque gardens, featuring an orangery, marble bath, and Swan Island. The adjacent Vorderer Westen district is one of Kassel's most well-maintained residential areas with Wilhelminian-era architecture and numerous cafés. Arriving early and keeping the 8 PM concert in mind, you can spend the afternoon in the Karlsaue – a combination that enhances the open-air experience.

Kassel as a Concert Location

In the summer, Kassel hosts several open-air venues concurrently: the Karlswiese, the Hessen-Stadion at the Auestadion area, and the Friedrichsplatz. The Karlswiese / Hessenkampfbahn represents a medium scale – between stadium size and small events – making it ideal for pop acts that require an engaged audience without the intensity of a stadium concert. Both acts performing this weekend perfectly suit this scale.