From handmade folk music to digital media art - in Osnabrück there are many fundamentally different festivals that take place over several days every year. The current dates, tips and an overview from A to Z can be found here.
The Akyürek Festival is organised by the Office for Peace Culture, cultural associations, schools and initiatives in the district with lots of hands-on activities, music, dance and speciality stalls. The festival takes place every four years in May, the next time in 2026. The city's integration prize is named after Yilmaz Akyürek.
To the Akyürek price
Altstadt Live is the largest pub music festival in the region. Twice a year, the pubs in the old town invite their guests to enjoy live music: on Easter Sunday and on the evening before the "Day of German Unity" (2 October). So get out of your living room and into Osnabrück's parlour. The music is on the house: admission is free!
To Altstadt live
Every two years on the first Sunday in September, the culture and family festival attracts up to 15,000 visitors - with theatre, music, art, tours, hands-on activities and the light railway. Osnabrück steam locomotive enthusiasts offer shuttle rides on historic trains between the main railway station and the colliery station. At over 10 locations on and around the mountain, 100 performers present pure culture.
To the Bergfest
Every year, the Osnabrück Blueslawine in the Lutherhaus presents a top-class programme. Every spring, the organisers succeed in attracting renowned artists to this popular festival in Osnabrück.
To the Blueslawine
Brilliant interpretations of classical music is the motto of the annual festival. At the Classic con Brio Festival, musical quality and artistic seriousness take centre stage, with the spontaneity of the moment on stage sparking the audience.
To the Classic con Brio
The Campus Festival takes place on the Westerberg campus of Osnabrück University. Bands, good food and drinks make for a huge party for students, those who have been and those who want to be. The main thing is: good vibes and music. Together with regional partners, there are many additional attractions.
To the Campus Festival
The annual Euregio Music Festival sets fresh accents with top young musicians, atmospheric venues in and around Osnabrück, carefully selected programmes and its own competition: the Euregio Violin Challenge.
To the Euregio Festival
Every year in April, the EMAF presents experimental films, installations, performances and new digital formats dedicated to personal and political themes. The aim is to make provocative statements from the field of tension between "media art and society". The festival sees itself as a place of experimentation and as a laboratory in which the unusual is created and shown.
To the EMAF
The AStA (General Students' Committee) of Osnabrück University cordially invites all music fans and party people to an unforgettable one-day festival. On one day in June, there is plenty of room for rock and pop in the Schlossgarten, but no room for assaultive or harassing behaviour.
To the Fairytale Festival
The traditional Festival of Cultures in Osnabrück takes place on the third Sunday in September on the market square by the town hall. It offers an intercultural programme, specialities and all kinds of information from different countries and regions of the world. Further information is available from the city's Office for Peace Culture.
To the Festival of cultures
Five days in October are dedicated to independently produced, socially committed, contemporary films. German and international productions compete for various awards - for short films or documentaries. There is a student award for young talent and, of course, the Osnabrück Peace Film Prize.
To the Film Festival
One evening in August, the Heger Tor neighbourhood with its special atmosphere becomes a stage for international folk: sometimes traditional, sometimes modern, sometimes danceable. It is music from past centuries, sounds from distant lands or never-before-heard mixes of styles.
To the Folk im Viertel
The folk bands on stage mainly play lively Irish, Scottish, English and American folk music. In addition to a band from the Osnabrück region, the evening will also feature two nationally recognised bands. It takes place in the Haus der Jugend.
To Folk meets OS
The Gay in May e.V. association organises the oldest active festival in Germany. It aims to make sexual and gender diversity visible. In this context, the Rosa Courage Prize is awarded every year to people who have stood up for LGBTIQ people.
To the Gay in May Festival
Longboard contests in empty halls, elephant sculptures in the middle of a building site - the Youth Culture Days have been a platform for youth culture since 2008. The JKT provide a stage and opportunities for young people to shape their own art and culture with creativity, commitment and equal opportunities.
To the JKT
Numerous small courtyards and squares are hidden in the alleyways and behind the picturesque facades of the old town district. On one evening in June, they become a stage for music, improv theatre and cabaret.
To Kleines Fest in den Höfen
... and over far too quickly: at the end of August/beginning of September, culture is presented in the old town from 6 pm, organised by the city of Osnabrück together with the cultural institutions in the city centre. Admission to the Culture Night is free.
To the Culture night
Folk and peace songs in front of the town hall - the choirs encourage people to sing along. The day is organised in spring by the Osnabrück City Singing Circle.
Sängerkreisgruppe Osnabrück-Stadt
Telephone: 05424 294921
The Morgenland Festival brings musicians from the Middle East to the city and makes a return visit with the members of the orchestra. Everything from traditional music to rock and avant-garde is played. Since 2005, the Morgenland Festival has been a permanent fixture in Osnabrück and a source of inspiration for musicians from the Mediterranean to north-west China.
To the Morgenland Festival
The Osnabrück Peace Day includes a concert from the "Musica pro Pace" series, organised by the Osnabrück Peace Talks, the churches and the city's Department of Culture. "Musica pro Pace" performs compositions that express the horrors of war and the longing for peace.
To Musica pro Pace
The festival was founded in 1989 by Herbert Vieth at the same time as the establishment of the North German study centre Forum Artium - today an international music festival in the district of Osnabrück. An important part of the festival are interpretation and masterclasses on the performance practice of early music. Artistic director is Stephan Lutermann.
To Musica Viva
The Osnabrück Organ Summer in July/August has been a cherished tradition since 1991, every holiday Tuesday at 8.15 pm in one of the five city centre churches. The church musicians of the main churches and guests play on valuable organs in cool churches. Admission is free. Further information from the Ecumenical Cantors' Convention.
Calling the Organ Summer
The largest cabaret festival in north-west Germany takes place in Osnabrück in November/December. From classic political cabaret to sophisticated comedy and wacky chanson, all styles are represented.
To the Cabaret Festival
Young bands on two stages - at Ledenhof and Katharinenkirche - play Lindy Hop and Latin, Swing, Neo Soul and Electro-Jazz. Jazz student Luka Kleine and the Musikbüro Osnabrück e.V. organise the POLYCHROM. The event is sponsored by the Friedel & Gisela Bohnenkamp Foundation.
To the Polychrome Festival
The Popsalon is a lively event. It usually takes place over three days in April in different locations in Osnabrück and provides an incomparable, wonderful, shrill, quiet and loud weekend full of music.
To the Popsalon
After a successful start with the Schlossgarten Open Air 2015, the open air festival in the middle of Osnabrück's city centre will continue against a fantastic backdrop. The Fantastischen Vier, Revolverheld, Rea Garvey, Cro, Silbermond, Andreas Bourani and the Beginner have already performed on stage in the Schlossgarten.
To the Schlossgarten Open Air
"Summer in the City" is the title of the programme, which presents over 100 summer cultural events in Osnabrück from June to September: Open-air cabaret, rock open air or cinema under the stars. And all of this directly in Osnabrück at various locations.
Summer in the city
The "Meeting Point for Art and Culture" and the Gertrudenkirche church on the grounds of the AMEOS Clinic in Osnabrück usually host classical chamber music concerts, but klezmer music, jazz, singing, readings with music or theatre are also part of "Culture at Gertrudenberg". The host is music lecturer Allan Ware.
To the Sunday concerts
Osnabrück Theatre is out and about in the city in late summer: visitors can walk or take a bus along various routes to unusual places where a variety of theatre productions are shown, from drama, dance and music to literature. One festival route begins and ends in front of the theatre.
To the Spieltriebe
Every year in spring, northern Germany's largest student festival offers a three-day festival with various workshops and activities as well as music acts in the evening on the university campus on the Westerberg. It is a highlight for all Osnabrück students and is known far beyond the city limits.
TerrassenfestPlease inquire on the homepages or directly in the respective houses about the current opening and event times, prices, cancellations, etc.. This information can change at short notice!
