Name: Waldsommer Geretsried 2026
Start: 2026-07-24T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-08-02T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Festplatz Jahnstraße

Waldsommer

About Waldsommer

Ten days of dancing, eating, drinking, and fun under old trees on the edge of the Isar meadows – the Waldsommer in Geretsried is one of the most traditional summer folk festivals in Upper Bavaria. Founded in 1949 as a "ray of hope in the difficult post-war period" in the Buchberg camp, the festival today combines a large festival tent with a shady beer garden, amusement rides for the whole family, and a diverse music program. International guests from the partner towns of Chamalières (FR), Nickelsdorf (AT), and Pusztavám (HU) are as much a part of the opening as the traditional brass band music on the festival Sunday.

Dates 24 Jul — 02 Aug 2026

Venue Geretsried (09173)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Waldsommer — edition 2026

The Waldsommer Geretsried 2026 will take place from July 24 to August 2 at the Jahnstraße festival grounds. Ten days of a large festival tent with a shady beer garden, amusement rides, and live music. Opening on Friday, July 25, at 4:30 PM with a reception of delegations from the partner towns of Chamalières, Nickelsdorf, and Pusztavám by Mayor Michael Müller. The new tent hosts Andreas Krems and Andreas Avi will curate the festival tent program for the first time.

Tent Host Premiere 2026

In 2026, Andreas Krems and Andreas Avi will take over the festival tent operations for the first time. Their concept focuses on proven Upper Bavarian pub cuisine, carefully curated music evenings, and an expanded family offering. The traditional festival beer will be tapped from a regional brewery as usual.

Opening on July 25

On Friday, July 25, Mayor Michael Müller will open the Waldsommer 2026 at 4:30 PM in the festival tent. Delegations from the three partner towns of Chamalières (France), Nickelsdorf (Austria), and Pusztavám (Hungary) will be welcomed. This will be followed by the traditional beer tapping ceremony.

Daily Program

The festival tent and funfair are open daily from 11 AM. A detailed daily program with bands and family activities will be published on the city's website shortly before the festival begins.

Highlights Waldsommer 2026

10 days of folk festival under old trees on the edge of the Isar meadows
Large festival tent with a shady beer garden
International meeting with partner towns from FR, AT, HU
Diverse music program: brass music, rock, Schlager
Family-friendly funfair with carousels and sweets
Located directly on the Isar cycle path

Programme Waldsommer 2026

Program Structure

Opening Friday: Reception of partner towns and beer tapping
Weekends: Bavarian brass music, Schlager and party bands
Family Days: Reduced ride prices at the carousels
Seniors' Day: Afternoon concert with coffee and cake
Closing Sunday: Grand finale in the festival tent with live music

Prices Waldsommer 2026

Admission to the festival grounds and the festival tent is free. Food and drinks at usual folk festival prices (Maß beer around €11–€12, half chicken around €14). Amusement rides approx. €3–€5 per attraction. Family days with reduced carousel prices will be announced separately.

Practical information

Practical information — Waldsommer

Getting There

Train: BOB from Munich Central Station to Wolfratshausen, then bus 374 to Geretsried-Stein (Jahnstraße stop). Car: A95 exit Wolfratshausen, then B11 to Geretsried, signposted parking at the festival grounds. Bicycle: The Isar cycle path leads directly past the festival grounds.

Prices

Free admission. Food and drinks at typical folk festival prices, amusement rides per attraction.

Tips

Table reservations for the festival tent at [email protected]. For families, a visit in the afternoon is recommended; it gets crowded and loud in the tent in the evenings.

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.