SWR Summer Festival Stuttgart
Four days of open-air at the Neues Schloss with Tatort premiere and SWR Big Band benefit concert
About SWR Summer Festival
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SWR on Schlossplatz
The SWR Summer Festival is one of Stuttgart's largest free events — simultaneously a showcase of Südwestrundfunk's (SWR) programming and a city summer event that enlivens the city center. The venue is Schlossplatz in front of the Neues Schloss, an 18th-century Baroque residential palace, which today serves as the main administrative building for the state of Baden-Württemberg. The backdrop — Baroque architecture, a vast plaza, and urban vibrancy — makes the festival an urban summer experience.
Four Days of Program with Free Daily Offerings
The festival runs from Friday, May 22 to Monday, May 25, 2026 (May weekend extended to Whit Monday). During the day, SWR offers a free program: live music on the main stage, talk formats with SWR moderators, interactive activities for families, catering from regional providers, and an open-air cinema area. The free daily program targets a broad audience — Stuttgart city center visitors, tourists, families — making the festival a city magnet.
Tatort Premiere on May 25
A highlight of the 2026 festival is the premiere of the new Tatort episode "Lucys Geburtstag" on Sunday, May 25, 2026, at 8:30 PM. Tatort is ARD's long-running crime series, and SWR produces a significant portion of the episodes with the Stuttgart and Saarbrücken teams. The premiere in an open-air format on Schlossplatz — with seating, a large screen, and live sound — actively promotes the series and offers Stuttgart residents a rare advance screening. Tickets start at €12.
SWR Big Band Benefit Concert with Max Mutzke and Fola Dada
The second headliner is the SWR Big Band Benefit Concert on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at 11:00 AM. The SWR Big Band is one of Germany's most renowned big bands — a concert ensemble that has produced standards of modern big band music and crossover projects with pop and soul singers for decades. For the 2026 benefit concert, Max Mutzke (German soul/pop singer, Eurovision representative 2004 with "Can't Wait Until Tonight") and Fola Dada (German soul singer, long career) will perform as guests. Tickets start at €34; proceeds go to a social cause (in the past, often Stuttgart-based disability or educational institutions).
SWR Summer Festival — edition 2026
SWR Summer Festival 2026
The SWR Summer Festival 2026 will take place from Friday, May 22 to Monday, May 25, 2026, on Stuttgart's Schlossplatz in front of the Neues Schloss (Schlossplatz 1, 70173 Stuttgart). The organizer is Südwestrundfunk (SWR).
Four days of open-air with a free daily program — live music on the main stage, talk formats with SWR moderators, interactive activities for families, and an open-air cinema area. Two ticketed highlights will set special accents: the premiere of the new Tatort episode and the SWR Big Band benefit concert.
Programme SWR Summer Festival 2026
Confirmed Ticket Highlights 2026
- Sunday, May 24, 2026, 11:00 AM — SWR Big Band Benefit Concert with Max Mutzke (Soul/Pop singer, Eurovision 2004) and Fola Dada (Soul singer). Tickets from €34. Proceeds for a social cause.
- Sunday, May 25, 2026, 8:30 PM — Tatort Premiere "Lucys Geburtstag" as an open-air premiere on Schlossplatz. Tickets from €12.
Free Daily Program (All 4 Days)
- Live music on the main stage
- Talk formats with SWR moderators
- Interactive activities for families
- Catering from regional providers
- Open-air cinema area
- City summer atmosphere on Schlossplatz in front of the Neues Schloss
Detailed daily program (to follow in Spring 2026): stuttgart-tourist.de/e-swr-sommerfestival-2026. More information: swr.de.
Highlights SWR Summer Festival 2026
- SWR Big Band Benefit Concert May 24 with Max Mutzke and Fola Dada
- Tatort Premiere "Lucys Geburtstag" May 25, 8:30 PM
- Free daily program May 22–25
- Open-air cinema on Schlossplatz
- Live music on the main stage
- Organizer: Südwestrundfunk (SWR)
- Spectacular Neues Schloss backdrop
Prices SWR Summer Festival 2026
Free Daily Program — Free admission to Schlossplatz and all open stage offerings. Ticketed Highlights: SWR Big Band benefit concert from €34, Tatort premiere from €12. Tickets via the SWR website and Stuttgart Tourist.
Practical information — SWR Summer Festival
Getting There
By S-Bahn: All lines to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, then a 10-minute walk to Schlossplatz. By U-Bahn: U 5, U 6, U 7, U 12, U 15 — Schlossplatz stop (direct access). By car: City center parking garages (Marktplatz, Königsbau, Mitte). Travel with VVS is strongly recommended.
Tickets
Free daily program — free admission to Schlossplatz and all open stage offerings. Ticketed highlights: Tatort premiere from €12, SWR Big Band benefit concert from €34. Tickets available via the SWR website and Stuttgart Tourist.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a SWR Summer Festival al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Where it takes place SWR Summer Festival
Schlossplatz Stuttgart (Neues Schloss)
Schlossplatz 1, 70173 Stuttgart