Name: World Heritage Festival Bamberg 2026
Start: 2026-04-27T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-04-27T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Böhmerwiese Bamberg

World Heritage Festival

About World Heritage Festival

The Welterbefest Bamberg is one of the most beautiful open-air festivals in the UNESCO World Heritage city. On the expansive Böhmerwiese below Bamberg Cathedral, locals, international guests, and visitors to the World Heritage city gather for a day of music, dance, crafts, exhibitions, and culinary specialties from around the world. Each year, the festival is held under the banner of a different partner country – always with free admission. The Welterbefest is organized by the Zentrum Welterbe Bamberg.

Dates 27 Apr — 27 Apr 2026

Venue Bamberg (09461)

Prices Free

Status —

Edition 2026

World Heritage Festival — edition 2026

The Welterbefest Bamberg 2026 will take place on April 27, 2026, on the Böhmerwiese in Bamberg. A one-day open-air cultural festival with music, dance, crafts, and culinary specialties from the partner country – organized by the Zentrum Welterbe Bamberg. Free admission.

The 2026 Welterbefest is scheduled for Monday, April 27, 2026. The organizer is the City of Bamberg via the Zentrum Welterbe Bamberg. As in previous years, a partner country will be the focus, transforming the Böhmerwiese into a small stage for international culture with music, dance, exhibitions, crafts, and cuisine.

The partner country and the detailed program will be announced by the Zentrum Welterbe Bamberg closer to the date. Admission is traditionally free.

Highlights World Heritage Festival 2026

Annual changing partner country with music, dance, and crafts
Open-air cultural festival with free admission for the entire community
Connection between UNESCO World Heritage and living city culture
Böhmerwiese as one of Bamberg's most beautiful event locations

Programme World Heritage Festival 2026

Welterbefest on April 27, 2026

The complete program and this year's partner country will be published by the Zentrum Welterbe Bamberg in good time before the date. The following structure is customary:

Opening in the afternoon — by representatives of the City of Bamberg and embassy officials from the partner country
Stage Program — musical groups from the partner country, folk performances, contemporary bands
Exhibitions — UNESCO World Heritage sites of the partner country
Craft Market — stalls with traditional crafts and textile art
Culinary Specialties — street food and drinks from the partner country
Family Program — hands-on activities for children and teenagers
Evening Finale — with a headline concert on the main stage

Prices World Heritage Festival 2026

Admission free. Food, drinks, and individual workshops are subject to a charge.

Practical information

Practical information — World Heritage Festival

Getting There

By car via the A 70 or A 73, then follow signs to the city center parking lots (Park & Ride recommended). By train to Bamberg Hauptbahnhof, then a 15-minute walk to the Böhmerwiese.

Admission

Admission is free. Food, drinks, and individual workshops are subject to a charge.

Tip

The festival typically runs from the afternoon (from 2 PM) into the evening. To experience the full stage program, it's advisable to arrive early.

World Heritage as Living City Culture

Bamberg has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993 – as an exceptionally well-preserved medieval and baroque European city complex. The Zentrum Welterbe Bamberg is the municipal institution that not only manages this status but actively fills it with events and educational work. The highlight of the annual calendar is the Welterbefest on the Böhmerwiese.

One Day, One Partner Country

Each year, a different partner country is the focus of the Welterbefest. In 2024, it was Mexico with Mariachi sounds, folk dances, Mexican cuisine, and an exhibition on Mexican UNESCO World Heritage sites. With each partner country, musicians, craftspeople, and chefs travel to Bamberg, transforming the Böhmerwiese for a day into a culinary and musical world tour.

What's on Offer

Open-air stage with music from the partner country, dance performances, exhibitions on World Heritage sites, arts and crafts stalls, culinary specialties, and hands-on activities for families. The Zentrum Welterbe Bamberg and partners from the city and university also convey the significance of the World Heritage status for Bamberg and the world.

Böhmerwiese – Urban Meadow by the World Heritage Site

The Böhmerwiese is located within the World Heritage area between the Old Town, Theresienhain, and the canal side – an urban park suitable for large open-air events. From the festival grounds, it's only a few minutes' walk to the Cathedral, the Alte Hofhaltung, and Klein-Venedig.

A Political Message

The Welterbefest is not just a cultural festival but also a political statement. World Heritage does not mean 'preserving the past' but 'shaping today and tomorrow' – with tolerance, exchange, and the recognition that Bamberg's history has always been international.