Hessentag 2026 in Fulda: program, concerts, tickets and tips for visitors
Fulda, 12 June 2026
AI-generated image (flux-2/pro-text-to-image via Kie.ai)
Summary
The Hessentag 2026, Germany's largest state festival, opens in Fulda on 12 June with around 1,200 free events over ten days. Some 700,000 visitors are expected for concerts, experience areas and a packed cultural programme.
Fulda, 12 June 2026
On 12 June 2026 the 63rd edition of the Hessentag, Germany's largest state festival, opens in Fulda. Running until 21 June, it will offer around 1,200 free events across an area of 97,000 square metres, with concerts, experience areas and initiatives celebrating the 80th anniversary of the state of Hesse.
The 2026 edition of the Hessentag takes place in Fulda under the motto "Foll hessisch", a play on words that combines the dialect name of the city, "Foll", with the typical local carnival cry "Föllsch Foll – Hinein!". The event, which will close on Sunday 21 June with the traditional closing parade, is described as the country's biggest state festival. The organisers estimate around 700,000 visitors across the ten days of the event.
Hessentag 2026 Fulda: program, concerts and tickets | allfacts360
Opening and Hesse's anniversary
The official opening is scheduled for 13:00 with a ceremony featuring Minister-President Boris Rhein (CDU) and Fulda's mayor Heiko Wingenfeld (CDU). Hesse itself celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2026, an occasion that will be marked with dozens of initiatives, including performances by folk groups, traditional dances and rural youth associations. Among the previews is the first performance of the piece "Der Allmächtige Handkäs" with the participation of comedian Henni Nachtsheim, known as a member of Badesalz, and Ali Neander of the Rodgau Monotones.
The music programme on the Domplatz
The musical heart of the festival is the Domplatz-Arena, in the centre of Fulda, which can accommodate around 10,000 spectators. On the Domplatz stage, among others, Roland Kaiser (13 June), Clueso (14 June), Giovanni Zarrella and Melissa Naschenweng (15 June), Avantasia (16 June), Roxette (17 June), Sarah Connor (18 June), Montez (19 June) and Peter Maffay (21 and 22 June) will take turns performing. The concerts by Roland Kaiser and Peter Maffay, including the additional date, are already sold out.
Visiting the festival is generally free for guests, and so are all events hosted at the hr-Treff, the pavilion of Hessischer Rundfunk (hr). For some concerts, such as those on the Domplatz, and for other initiatives, however, a ticket must be purchased. Until 11 June, the Hessentag hotline is available from 10:00 to 17:00 on 0661-1023636.
The hr-Treff and the experience areas
In addition to the Domplatz-Arena and the hr-Treff, the festival features a dozen additional stages and 23 experience areas dedicated to organisations such as the police, fire service, Bundeswehr, churches and groups in traditional costume. At the hr-Treff, located between the Ferris wheel and the ITZ "Am Alten Schlachthof" conference centre, visitors can try out a green screen, leave suggestions on the Pop-Studio themed board and watch a radio studio up close through the glass wall; for the Hessentag the Fulda regional newsroom will operate as an open editorial office.
The evening programme at the hr-Treff includes, among others, Kamrad (12 June), Hermes House Band (13 June), the tribute show Ed & Taylor (15 June), Familie Hossa (16 June), Pfund (17 June), the Coldplay tribute Shiver (18 June), The 8Ts (19 June), Peter Wackel (20 June) and CNO (21 June). Two public-viewing evenings are also planned for German national team matches: on 14 June at 19:00 Germany-Curaçao, followed by an hr3 disco party with Gunnar Töpfer, and on 20 June at 22:00 Germany-Ivory Coast.
Getting to Fulda: parking, shuttles and trains
For those who want to enjoy a panoramic view, a 45-metre-high Ferris wheel has been set up next to the hr-Treff, near the Alter Schlachthof. On the wheel, couples can also celebrate weddings and exchange their vows, as reported by the organisers. The nearly three-kilometre-long Hessentagsstraße connects the railway station to the city centre and continues on to the Fulda-Aue, running through the heart of Fulda and hosting most of the street initiatives.
Arrival by car is managed through a parking system with five designated areas: P1 Landebahn, P2 Schrebergärten, P3 Fulda Aue, P4 Lehnerz and P5 Eisweiher. The daily ticket for cars costs 10 euros, and from car parks P1–P5 free shuttles run regularly to the festival venues. Mayor Wingenfeld stressed that "È tutto raggiungibile a piedi". However, travellers arriving by train should bear in mind that until 21:00 on 19 June 2026 the section between Baunatal-Guntershausen (Kassel) and Bebra (Hersfeld-Rotenburg) is closed for track works: the alternatives are a replacement bus service or the more expensive ICE from the north.
Among other dates worth noting, on 14 June a Roxette show is scheduled, while the two galas of Spotlight Musicals, a production company based in Fulda, take place on 11 and 12 June on the Domplatz with titles such as "Die Päpstin", "Der Medicus" and "Robin Hood". Already before the Hessentag, Fulda's Schlosstheater opened the musical season with the new production "Der Schimmelreiter".
The Hessentag 2026 thus presents itself as a widespread celebration, designed to enhance regional identity and offer a diverse programme: from major concerts to folk traditions, from institutional experience areas to more refined cultural offerings. For visitors, the combination of free admission, shuttles from car parks, a far-reaching network of stages and a rich music calendar makes the festival one of the most anticipated events of the year in Hesse.
Questions & Answers
When does the Hessentag 2026 in Fulda start and end?
The Hessentag 2026 opens on Friday 12 June and closes on Sunday 21 June, for a total duration of ten days. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 13:00.
What major concerts are taking place on the Domplatz in Fulda?
On Fulda's Domplatz, which can accommodate around 10,000 spectators, the programme includes, among others, Roland Kaiser, Clueso, Giovanni Zarrella, Melissa Naschenweng, Avantasia, Roxette, Sarah Connor, Montez and Peter Maffay on two dates. The concerts by Roland Kaiser and Peter Maffay are already sold out.
How much does it cost to visit the Hessentag and how do you reach the festival area?
Entry to the festival is free for visitors, and so are the events at the hr-Treff; for some concerts on the Domplatz a ticket must be purchased. Five official car parks are available with a daily ticket of 10 euros and free shuttles, while the railway section between Baunatal-Guntershausen and Bebra will remain closed for works until 21:00 on 19 June.
