Waldsommer Geretsried

From Post-War Festival to Summer Classic

The Waldsommer Geretsried has its roots in the first folk festival, celebrated on August 7, 1949, in the Buchberg camp – a ray of hope in the difficult post-war period for many people in the young town in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen. Over more than seventy years, this modest celebration has developed into one of the most popular summer folk festivals in southern Bavaria. Today, the Waldsommer attracts thousands of visitors from the Loisach Valley, the Tölzer Land, and the Munich area every year.

Festival Tent Under Old Trees

The venue is the festival grounds on Jahnstraße, right on the edge of the Isar meadows. The large festival tent with its shady beer garden under mighty deciduous trees is one of the most characteristic festival sites in the region. Anyone who has sat here on a warm summer evening – with a cool Maß (liter of beer) in hand, live music in the tent, and the gentle murmur of the Isar in the background – understands why the people of Geretsried love their Waldsommer so dearly.

Music, Amusement Rides, and Partner Towns

The program combines traditional brass band music, hit and party bands, rock cover nights, and quieter family programs. A classic funfair with carousels, a swing boat, bumper cars, and candy stalls complements the festival tent. A traditional highlight of the opening is the reception of delegations from the three partner towns of Chamalières (France), Nickelsdorf (Austria), and Pusztavám (Hungary) by the mayor – a visible sign of Geretsried's European solidarity.

Family Program and New Tent Hosts

As with a classic Upper Bavarian folk festival, there are family days with reduced carousel prices, senior days, and musical theme nights. In 2026, the two tent hosts Andreas Krems and Andreas Avi will take over the festival tent operations for the first time – with a promise to preserve the long-standing tradition and carefully develop it further.

Nestled in Southern Upper Bavaria

Geretsried is located at the transition between the Munich gravel plain and the Bavarian Prealps. Visitors to the folk festival can easily combine their stay with a walk along the Isar, a raft trip, or a detour to nearby Tölz or the Walchensee lake.