Summer in the City — Palmengarten Festival

Frankfurt's green living room becomes a stage

The Palmengarten in Frankfurt is one of Germany's largest and oldest botanical gardens – a 22-hectare area in the Westend district featuring historic greenhouses, themed beds, and a distinctive 19th-century music pavilion. This very pavilion serves as the stage for Summer in the City, a concert series that brings established and curated acts to the open air every Tuesday evening in midsummer.

Concept: One per week

Unlike large-scale festivals with packed daily schedules, Summer in the City focuses on concentration: one main act per Tuesday evening in a dramaturgically considered sequence. The concept originates from Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm, one of Germany's most important organizers of independent performing arts, which implements the festival in partnership with Palmengarten and Journal Frankfurt.

Programmatic diversity

The lineup attracts a deliberately diverse audience. In 2026, the spectrum ranges from the British-Asian folk-pop pioneer Tanita Tikaram to the German pianist and electronic composer Martin Kohlstedt, the Icelandic singer-songwriter Ásgeir, the Munich brass band Moop Mama, and the Israeli-Iranian artist Liraz, whose pop music blends Persian and Israeli influences. The series explicitly positions itself not as a genre festival, but as a curated collection of outstanding contemporary voices.

A setting like no other in Frankfurt

The concerts take place in a semi-seated, semi-standing arrangement in front of the pavilion, with the Palmengarten's plant architecture silhouetted against the evening sun behind it. Those who arrive early can enjoy the open-air picnic atmosphere in the garden. The organizers emphasize accessibility: wheelchair access, accessible restrooms, and assistance dogs are welcome.

Pass model as a hallmark

A special feature is the festival pass model: For €111 (€90 for Friends of Palmengarten), the pass covers all five concerts – a more economical option than five individual tickets. Single tickets are available via Reservix.