Wallenstein Festival: Altdorf invites you to take a historical journey through time!

Wallenstein Festival: Altdorf invites you to take a historical journey through time!

On Tuesday, June 14, 2025, a delegation from the Wallenstein Festival Association visited the mayor of Amberg, Michael Cerny. The visit served to cordially invite the citizens of Amberg to the upcoming Wallenstein Festival, which will take place from June 27th to July 27th in Altdorf near Nuremberg. Central Bavarian reports that Angelika and Werner Troidl, who are members of the delegation, presented themselves in historical clothing and provided information about the extensive program.

The Wallenstein Festival has been taking place since 1894 and has become a popular cultural event over the years. The festival offers a variety of events, including performances of the two main plays: “Wallenstein” by Friedrich Schiller and “Wallenstein in Altdorf” by Franz Dittmar. The latter is a folk piece and deals with Wallenstein's student days in Altdorf between 1599 and 1600. The program also includes a diverse supporting program with camp life, cabaret and concerts, according to the website Wallenstein Festival.

A look into the history of the festival

The first Wallenstein Festival was held in 1894, followed by further performances in the following years until 1939. After the Second World War, the initiators successfully continued the tradition in 1950. From 1955 the festival took place every three years. Camp life was introduced in 1970 and is still part of the festival program today. The historic craftsmen's farm, which has existed since 1976, is another fascinating part of the festival and is looked after by the Altdorf craftsmen and journeymen's association. The events are characterized, among other things, by a special camp life that extends across the entire market square and extends to the castle square.

The costumes and the actors are also an essential part of the festival. The festival association, which was founded in 1959 by 93 people, now has around 600 members and organizes the performances together with almost 1,000 participants from the region. Wikipedia highlights that the costume inventory now includes around 1,000 costumes, some of which are made in-house.

What can visitors expect in 2025?

This year the festival will captivate spectators over five weekends. On Saturdays the classic “Wallenstein” is performed at 8:30 p.m., while on Sundays the folk play performance begins at 1:15 p.m. Another highlight will be the Long Night as part of the festival program, which promises full enjoyment of the festival until late into the night.

The Wallenstein Festival is not only a must for theater lovers, but also offers a wide range of activities that appeal to the whole family. Be there when it finally says again on June 27th: “Curtain raises for the Wallenstein Festival” - a tradition that is deeply rooted in the region and always allows new historical splendor to shine.