Events in Nuremberg

When you think about events and festivals in Nuremberg, your first thought is probably their world-famous Christmas Market. However, this isn’t the only big event Nuremberg has to offer. This historic city has plenty of fascinating events, some of which you can check out below.

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The Blue Night (Die Blaue Nacht)

An annual event since 2000, the Blue Night takes place in the Old Town of Nuremberg every spring. Lights cover the town in shades of blue, and courtyards and houses have art projected onto them. With light installations, art projection, and unique performances, the Blue Night is a mix of modern art, history, and culture.

The event has become increasingly popular with 135,000 people attending in 2016. Different themes are picked out every year such as the 2017 theme being ‘Odyssey”.

To promote new artists, every year, a local artist is asked to design something for the center stage – the light projection onto the Imperial Castle. Artists worldwide are encouraged to send their pieces for the Blue Night Art Competition with a jury narrowing down their projects. The jury consists of officials from cultural institutions and museums in Nuremberg. Once the final pieces are chosen and are displayed during the Blue Night, visitors can vote for their favourite artists.

The historic city of Nuremberg covered in blue light, acting as a canvas for the artists, is one event that you don’t want to miss.

Franconian Beer Festival (Fränkisches Bierfest)

Every year, with the Nuremberg Castle Moat as a location, 100 different types of beer are served to participants. With free entry, you can try beers from 40 different breweries. With live music and delicious food, it’s one of the most popular festivals in Nuremberg.

Nuremberg Folk Festivals (Nürnberger Volksfeste)

The Nuremberg Folk Festivals take place twice a year – in spring and fall. These are the second largest fairs in Bavaria and are held next to the Dutzendteich Lake. In addition to rides, you can also enjoy food, music and dancing.

The spring fair has food stalls, concerts, games and rollercoasters, as well as an Easter egg hunt for children. The fall fair is no less enjoyable – along with food, music, games, and parades, other countries are also invited to share their culture. To conclude the fair, there is a fireworks show on the final day.

Old Town Festival Nuremberg (Nürnberger Altstadtfest)

Nuremberg’s Old Town Festival is especially unique – with the picturesque background of Nuremberg’s Altstadt, there are 60 free events. These include musical performances, theatre programs, and a fisherman’s joust on the River Pegnitz!

Onion tarts and wine are enjoyed, and the festival lasts two weeks. The mayor declares the start of the festival by tapping the first keg of beer on the main stage. A brass band follows this with a performance, and people can attend concerts, buy arts and crafts, go on rides, and eat traditional food.

Medieval Castle Moat Festival (Mittelalterliches Burggrabenfest)

To prove how varied the events in Nuremberg are, let’s look at the Medieval Festival. This festival is fun for adults and children alike, with festive food, fire-breathers, and jousting taking you back to a time long gone. Taking place below the Imperial Castle, with bands’ performances and sword fighting, the festival is fun for the entire family.

At dusk, the fire-breathers even show their talents on a trapeze!

Rock im Park

Each year in May/June, there is a three-day music festival centered on hard music, sleeping, and partying. Founded in 1997, it is an annual event with tickets selling out months in advance.

The festival is held at the Zeppelin Field on the Dutzendteich Lake, and festival goers camp on the Rally Grounds nearby. From metal to punk and rock, music can be heard from noon to late at night.

Famous names such as Marilyn Manson, Metallica, and Die Toten Hosen perform, and Bavarians say that the festival is a rock party that people will regret missing.

Meeting of the Bards (Bardentreffen Nuremberg)

One of the most well-known festivals in Germany, Meeting of the Bards is held in the Old Town for four days every year. In the summer warmth, it is held on open-air stages and attracts more than 200,000 visitors from Germany.

The festival was first held in 1976 to honor the 400^th year death anniversary of Hans Sachs, a German poet and playwright. Now, artists and bands from all over Germany congregate to celebrate song-writing and support lesser-known and indie musicians.

With more than 70 bands coming to play and the festival being free, it is definitely one of the highlights of the summer season!

Events in Nuremberg St. Katharina Open Air Concert

Every June and July, the ruins of St. Catherine’s Church serve as a backdrop to the St. Katharine open air concert. Starting just 20 years ago, this concert has become extremely popular. It does not discriminate when it comes to genre – whether it be pop, indie, jazz, folk, or classical, all music is welcome here.

Events in Nuremberg International Toy Fair (Spielwarenmesse)

Since the 14^th century, Nuremberg has been a city of toys – from small clay dolls to today’s advanced toys. The Nuremberg International Toy Fair attracts people from all over the world and is the world’s leading trade fair for toys and games. In 2018, Spielwarenmesse attracted more than 76000 people from 112 countries.

This is the place where the latest toy trends are decided with start-ups, famous brands, buyers, and manufacturers all congregating to innovate and plan. Each year, approximately one million toys are displayed at the fair.

Events in Nuremberg Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt)

Of course we couldn’t end this article without mentioning the Christmas Market, the most popular of all the events in Nuremberg. Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas Markets in the world and can be traced back to the 16^th century.

Not only do you get to enjoy concerts and tours, you can also take a ride around the market on a mail coach!

With twinkling lights, hand-painted Christmas ornaments, and the smell of delicious bratwurst, mulled wine and gingerbread in the air, the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt is truly magical.

We hope this diverse list of events in Nuremberg inspires you to travel and make your own memories at these historic festivals.