56th Wertheim Old Town Festival

56 Years of Old Town Festival Tradition on the Main

The Wertheim Old Town Festival is one of the most traditional town festivals in Northwest Baden. First organized in 1970, it will celebrate its 56th edition in 2026 — an unbroken tradition spanning more than half a century. The organizer is the city of Wertheim, a former imperial city at the confluence of the Main and Tauber rivers with just under 23,000 inhabitants and one of the most famous half-timbered old townscapes in Southern Germany.

Festival of Diversity — The Motto

The motto "Festival of Diversity" shapes the program: culinary diversity (from Swabian to Franconian to International), musical diversity (brass bands, pop, indie, jazz, classical), generational diversity (from children's programs to senior gatherings). Catering is entirely handled by the around 60 clubs, groups, and institutions of the city — sports clubs, music clubs, churches, social associations, schools, cultural clubs — each with its own stand, its own concept, its own character. The proceeds benefit the respective clubs.

Fire Safety and Format

A special feature of the festival — and at the same time a challenge — is the historic half-timbered construction of the Wertheim Old Town: fire safety is a priority. The city therefore only allows easily removable mobile structures (sunshades, gazebos), a maximum of 3 meters deep. This restriction gives the festival its characteristic appearance: small, dense, narrowly spaced stands along the alleys and on the squares — not mass tourism like a Volksfest, but rather a "Festival" character in the urban sense.

Wertheim — The Medieval Pearl on the Main

Wertheim is located at the northeastern tip of Baden-Württemberg, at the confluence of the Main and Tauber rivers, opposite the Bavarian Marktheidenfeld. The old town — almost completely preserved — is characterized by a castle ruin, city walls, half-timbered houses, and narrow alleys. The Engelsburg, the Stiftskirche, and the Spitzhäuschen are the iconic buildings. In summer, the city is full of tourists — especially day-trippers from Würzburg, Aschaffenburg, and Frankfurt, as well as travelers on Main river cruises. The Old Town Festival stands out by focusing on the local club scene.