Unterholz Festival 2026

Unterholz Festival — 10th Anniversary Edition

On Saturday, July 4, 2026, the Unterholz Festival in Pforzheim celebrates its 10th edition. The venue is the Schlupfwiese on Heidenheimer Straße on the Wilferdinger Höhe — the new location since 2025, offering more space and better sound conditions than the original Hoheneckplatz. The festival positions itself as "more than a festival: the moment when music and people become a memory".

Lineup 2026 — Confirmed Acts

For its anniversary, the organizers have put together a packed program featuring national and international top acts in electronic music:

• Victor Ruiz B2B Alex Stein — Brazilian techno star Victor Ruiz in a back-to-back set with Alex Stein
• Township Rebellion — the German techno duo from the KaterMukke circle
• Kaufmann
• Oliver Koletzki B2B Frida Darko — the Stil Rec. boss in a back-to-back set with Frida Darko
• Rachel Raw
• Sinamin
• Schmep
• Monkev

Several back-to-back sets are the focus — the typical festival mix of House, Techno, and Melodic Tech.

Program Concept — Nature Meets Sound

For ten years, Unterholz has focused on a core idea: electronic music in a green setting, away from the urban club atmosphere. The Schlupfwiese, with its surrounding trees and wooded areas, forms a natural open-air stage that shapes the listening experience. The festival starts at 11 AM and runs late into the evening — a classic day-time open-air with sun, dancing, and a natural atmosphere.

Location 2025/26 — Wilferdinger Höhe Instead of Hoheneckplatz

Until 2024 inclusive, Unterholz took place at the Hoheneckplatz in Pforzheim. Since 2025, the festival has a new location: the Schlupfwiese on Heidenheimer Straße on the Wilferdinger Höhe — an industrial and commercial area in the northwest of the city, offering more space, better sound conditions, and easier setup. Acceptance by residents and permit feasibility were important factors in the change.

Pforzheim as an Electronic Music Hub

With around 130,000 inhabitants, Pforzheim is Germany's Gold City and lies at the entrance to the Northern Black Forest in the Enzkreis district. In recent years, Pforzheim has developed into a supra-regional hotspot for electronic music — in addition to Unterholz, there are other established open-airs (Barparade Pforzheim, Schlosspark Open) and a vibrant club scene. Its location between Stuttgart and Karlsruhe also makes it a geographical center for the South German electronic scene.