Wildau City Festival

Wildau — Young Town Between Berlin and Königs Wusterhausen

Wildau belongs to the Dahme-Spreewald district in Brandenburg and is located directly on the southern outskirts of Berlin. Elevated from a municipality in 1951 to a town in 2003, Wildau is now home to the renowned Technical University of Wildau and many commuters to Berlin, with nearly 11,000 inhabitants. The S-Bahn line S46 connects the town to the capital every 20 minutes — a constellation that also makes the city festival attractive to Berlin visitors.

City Festival at the Fire Brigade Equipment House

The Wildau City Festival has an unusual setup: the organiser is not a festival committee or a classic local heritage club, but the Wildau Volunteer Fire Brigade together with the town. Consequently, the venue is the fire brigade grounds on Ludwig-Witthöft-Straße — a one-hectare area with space for a festival tent, club stands around the equipment house, and a main stage in the courtyard. The opening is traditionally at 1 p.m. by Mayor Frank Nerlich.

Club Mile and Children's Activities

Local clubs present themselves on the festival mile: sports clubs, cultural associations, nature conservation groups, the German Red Cross, the university. For children, there is a large activity area with a bouncy castle, craft activities, face painting, and games related to fire brigade technology — a turntable ladder basket ride experience is one of the classics that the Wildau fire brigade children offer their peers. Local children's choirs, dance groups, and musical acts perform on stage. In the evening, a live concert follows, traditionally a cover or Schlager programme.

Voluntary Work and Catering

A part of the festival is the public honouring of deserving citizens by the mayor — a form of appreciation that is taken seriously in Wildau. Catering is provided by the fire brigade itself: bratwurst, steak, fries, grilled fish, accompanied by beer, lemonade, and non-alcoholic cocktails. Prices are moderate. The Wildau Trade Association, a co-organiser, provides additional stalls with local specialities. Since 2024, radioSKW has been accompanying the festival as a media partner and moderating the stage programme.

Getting There and Connection to Berlin

Wildau can be reached from Berlin in under half an hour by S-Bahn line S46 (final stop Königs Wusterhausen, second to last stop Wildau). From Wildau station, it is only a five-minute walk to the fire brigade grounds. By car, take the A 117 (Berliner Stadtring) and the A 113. Parking spaces are available in sufficient numbers around the fire brigade area.