What’s on Kaiserslautern
Pure Chopin
Pianist Sachiko Furuhata will perform at the Fruchthalle Kaiserslautern on February 22
Pianist Sachiko Furuhata will perform at the Fruchthalle Kaiserslautern on February 22Experience pure Chopin on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in Kaiserslautern’s Fruchthalle. Internationally renowned pianist Sachiko Furuhata will perform works by Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne, Étude, Waltz, Heroic Polonaise, Scherzo No. 2.
Sachiko Furuhata is a concert pianist who performs regularly in Europe and Japan. For many years, she has been invited to give concerts in many European countries, including Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, as well as in Japan. In 2012, she was named a Steinway Artist by Steinway and Sons, New York and Hamburg. She is a regular guest at major international concert halls such as Suntory Hall, Usher Hall in Edinburgh, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Elbphilharmonie, and the Alte Oper Frankfurt, and has performed several times at Carnegie Hall in New York. Her latest CD production presents works by Beethoven and Schumann and has won the “Music Arena Performance of the Year 2014” award in Japan.
“What Remains of Winter” – Exhibition by Stefano Cattaneo and Anja Klos at the Fruchthalle
Starting Friday, February 13, 2026, the exhibition “What Remains of Winter” will open at the Fruchthalle Kaiserslautern, featuring works by Anja Klos and Stefano Cattaneo. At the opening at 6:00 p.m., Dr. Christoph Dammann will talk with the two artists, and Carlos Abyazar will provide musical accompaniment on the guitar. The exhibition will be on display until April 24, 2026, every Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and during all events at the Fruchthalle.
Fresh fish for Kaiserslautern
Art project for the city’s anniversary in 2026 invites citizens to get involved
To this day, they are one of the city’s eye-catching features and a wonderful reminder of the city’s 725th anniversary in 2001: the fish from the “Fishing for Fantasy” project. For the city’s 750th anniversary in 2026, Kaiserslautern is reviving the popular art project – on a smaller scale, but with a lot of heart, creativity, and participation from the city’s community. Ten fish sculptures from the city’s old stock are currently being cleaned and prepared for a new appearance.
Two sculptures are being designed by the advertising agency Peaks in the official anniversary colors. Another fish will be given to secondary schools via the education office for a new design, for example to an advanced art class. The remaining seven fish are still available – and waiting for design proposals from the entire city community! “This campaign connects the city’s history with the present – and above all with people,” says Mayor Beate Kimmel. “Our fish represent Kaiserslautern: open, creative, and designed together.”
Kaiserslautern celebrates 750 years of city rights
© City of Kaiserslautern / PEAKS The year 1276 marked a decisive turning point in the history of Kaiserslautern: Rudolf of Habsburg granted the then up-and-coming city its city rights and elevated it to the status of a free imperial city. 2026 marks the 750th anniversary of this special event. The city is ready to celebrate in style, honoring both its long tradition and its modern transformation. The entire anniversary year will be marked by a series of cultural and social highlights that will bring citizens and guests of the city together.
“The 750th anniversary is a unique opportunity to celebrate the history of our city, preserve our traditions, and at the same time look to the future,” said Mayor Beate Kimmel. “With a diverse program that combines culture, history, and community, we want to position Kaiserslautern even more strongly as a city of short distances, innovation, and togetherness. We invite all citizens to participate, celebrate, and work together to further develop Kaiserslautern.”
Highlights include the opening of the Rhineland-Palatinate Cultural Summer from May 1 to 3, 2026, featuring a cultural mile from Schillerplatz to the Palatinate Gallery and a lively program of art, music, and theater. The fact that Kaiserslautern is the cultural city of the Palatinate will also be underlined in 2026 by an art walk, which aims to raise the profile of the independent cultural scene. Other highlights include the State Music Festival, the German-American Friendship Days, the gala concert in the Fruchthalle, the festive service in the Stiftskirche, the Day of Associations, and the culinary hike on the Humberg. A permanent anniversary stage will be set up in the city center, which can be used by anyone who wants to perform – in keeping with the motto of involving the entire city community. “We have tried to offer something for every taste,” explains Hess. “We want to highlight the diversity and togetherness of our city and invite people to actively participate in the anniversary year,” adds Beate Kimmel.
Sightseeing tours
So, who was Barbarossa? – certainly not a baker (who cashed in on the illustrious name), but a powerful emperor in the Middle Ages.
Start of sightseeing tours in the anniversary year
Short distances, long history – 750 years of Kaiserslautern
The Tourist Information Office is kicking off the new season of city tours in March. To mark the city’s 750th anniversary, the tour guides of the Barbarossa Gästeführerverein e.V. (Barbarossa Tour Guide Association) have put together a very special tour in cooperation with the city of Kaiserslautern. “Short distances, long history – 750 years of Kaiserslautern” will premiere on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 10:30 a.m.
In addition to the tried-and-tested tours, such as “Pfalzgrafensaal and underground passage,” the various themed tours through the city center, and the city walks peppered with small delicacies, there is also new content on the program. “From the market bell to the digital message – news through the ages” shows how information channels have changed over time. In the children’s tour “Adventure Wildlife Park,” the forester explains to elementary school-aged children what there is to discover in the forest.
The range of English tours has been expanded (for example, the costumed tour of Hohenecken Castle). For the first time, there are also tours in French. In addition, there are several highlights in store throughout the year, such as theme days with short tours. The vintage bus “Liese” will also be back in service for one or two events.
An overview of all dates can be found on the Kaiserslautern city website www.kaiserslautern.de under “Tourism, Culture, Leisure > Tourism > Sightseeing Tours.” Registration can be done by phone at 0631 3654019 or by email at da-geh-ich-mit@kaiserslautern.de.
Sightseeing tours in March
Guided walk through the Ruheforst forest on Sunday March 1
The meeting point is at the West I parking lot on Mannheimer Straße heading out of town, which can also be reached directly by bus line 101. Sturdy shoes are recommended for the 1.5-hour event on the forest trails. Registration is not necessary.
Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 10 a.m.,
Coffee and cake
You are cordially invited to “Coffee & Cake”: Experience together how wonderful it is to stroll from café to café in Kaiserslautern and hear all kinds of history and stories.
Date: Friday, March 6, 2:30 p.m.
20 euros per person
Registration is binding. Cancellation is possible up to one day in advance.
Pfalzgrafensaal and underground passage
The tour begins in the Pfalzgrafensaal of the former Renaissance castle, the city’s representative rooms. It then continues into the approximately 70-meter-long underground passage, which brings the history of Kaiserslautern to life.
Dates: Saturday, March 7, 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, March 7, 11:15 a.m. (in English)
7 euros per person / 6 euros reduced
The historic center – a discovery tour around the collegiate church
Rediscover the old city center. Surrounding the former monastery complex are historic buildings and institutions of significance, some of which are hidden away: the former Adlerapotheke pharmacy, the Manufakturhaus, the so-called beautiful fountain, and the former Jewish quarter including the mikveh. After a short tour, we will of course take a look inside the collegiate church.
Date: Friday, March 13, 3 p.m.
7 euros per person / 6 euros reduced rate
Short distances, long history – 750 years of Kaiserslautern *NEW*
The citizens of Kaiserslautern celebrate the granting of city rights by Rudolf Habsburg in 1276. What does this mean for the people? A journey through 750 years of time and 750 meters of space immerses you in the development from royal court to big city. There are exciting and unique things to discover. 750 years of Kaiserslautern are a reason to
celebrate.
Date: Saturday, March 14, 10:30 a.m.
7 euros per person / 6 euros reduced
City tour
A stroll through the more than 750-year-old city of Barbarossa. Kaiserslautern is wonderful to explore on foot, as most of the sights are close together.
Date: Sunday, March 15, 2 p.m.
7 euros per person / 6 euros reduced rate
Where heaven and earth meet – church tour
Reformation, church union, Second Vatican Council, parish pastoral care, changes, tried and tested traditions. 28 Catholic and Protestant churches shape the cityscape of Kaiserslautern. This tour visits churches in the city center – all of which bear witness to the city’s history. Churches are not just architectural structures – they are full of life, symbols, signs, and love.
Date: Friday, March 20, 5 p.m.
9 euros per person / 8 euros reduced
Culinary tour of Kaiserslautern
The Palatinate has more to offer than just “Worscht, Weck unn Woi” (sausage, bread rolls, and wine). The diversity of the cuisine, especially in the Western Palatinate, is also influenced by French, American, and Bavarian traditions. During a culinary tour, you will have the opportunity to taste “Lautrer” history, peppered with a few details about eating habits from the Middle Ages to the present day. There will be no stops for refreshments, but instead the tour will follow the story. Small snacks will be waiting for participants at various locations.
Date: Saturday, March 28, 11 a.m.
18 euros per person
Unless otherwise noted, the meeting point is in front of the Tourist Information Office on Fruchthallstraße. Advance registration is requested for all tours (0631 3654019; da-geh-ich-mit@kaiserslautern.de).
Fruchthalle Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern’s Fruchthalle Fashion, art and crafts
Kulturmarkt Fruchthalle (c) Stadt KL Hanni Beck Thursday, Friday and Sunday: 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m.,
Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
On some evenings, the market is open until 7:30 p.m., after which you can enjoy one of the high-calibre concerts in the Fruchthalle hall.
Student café: Thursday to Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Lunch: Thursday to Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Tickets for concerts at the Fruchthalle Kaiserslautern are available from:
Tickets – 19.00 euros (reduced 13.00 euros) for all seats are only available in advance at the Tourist Information Office, Fruchthallstraße 14, Tel. (0631) 365-2316 or at the box office. The ticket entitles the holder to a return journey on the day of the event until 3:00 a.m. the following day on all public transport (with DB: RE, RB and S-Bahn, in the Rhine-Neckar transport network (VRN), 2nd class).
New Kaiserslautern picture calendar now available
To mark the city’s anniversary, the Kaiserslautern City Archives has published historical photographs from the 1920s in the form of a 2026 calendar.
High-resolution photographs of various streets and buildings invite you to take a stroll through old Kaiserslautern.
The calendars are available for €19.90 at the City Museum (Theodor-Zink-Museum/Wadgasserhof) or the Tourist Information Office during their respective opening hours. Pre-orders can also be placed at any time at:
Wochenmarkt Kaiserslautern
Welcome to the Kaiserslautern weekly market – Every Tuesday and Saturday on Stiftsplatz and on Thursdays in the Königstraße. From 07:00 to 13:30 you will find everything your heart desires. Fresh food from fruit, cheese, vegetables and sausages to fish and baked goods as well as flowers and plants. Or simply have a nice chat about the weather, world events and the football.
Garbage Guide for the City of Kaiserslautern 2026
Once again in 2026, Stadtbildpflege Kaiserslautern (City Image Maintenance) has published a waste management booklet for English-speaking citizens who live in the Kaiserslautern city area. The 32 page Garbage Guide offers information on proper disposal, reuse, and avoidance of waste.
The A5 booklet provides addresses and opening hours of the municipal recycling centers, guidance on waste disposal dates published in the Stadtbildpflege app and website, as well as locations and dates for hazardous waste disposal. The booklet also gives an illustrated overview of correct waste separation.
The 2026 Garbage Guide for the City of Kaiserslautern is available for you to take away from the municipal recycling centers, the Rathaus city hall and the Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern (municipal utilities).
An online version can be downloaded from SK_Garbage_Guide_2026
Wadgasserhof
Biergarten Wadgasserhof (c)Stadt KL Inviting Beer Garden at the Wadgasserhof
In the summer months the inner courtyard of the Wadgasserhof with its beer garden invites visitors to linger in its historical ambience.
Sitting under the old chestnut tree, enjoy drinks and food from the neighboring Vietnamese restaurant Pho Viet. Opening hours: Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Monday is a day off.
The exhibitions in the Wadgasserhof and the Theodor Zink Museum can be visited during the opening hours of the City Museum. These are Wednesday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00. Admission to special exhibitions is 5.00 euros, reduced 2.50 euros, the visit to the permanent exhibition is free.
Wadgasserhof, Steinstrasse 55, 67653 Kaiserslautern
Tel: 0631 365-2326
Pfalzgalerie
Photo: © Stadt Kaiserslautern Pfalzgalerie, Museumsplatz 1, 67657 Kaiserslautern
Tel.: 0631 3647201
Tuesday: 11:00 – 20:00, Wednesday – Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00, Closed Mondays
The Museum Palatine Gallery in Kaiserslautern was founded in 1874 as a museum of Trades and Crafts. The museum building was constructed from 1875 to 1880. Today, its main focus is on painting and sculpture from the 19th to 21st centuries.
The permanent collection includes: our friends. Abstract American Art from a Private French Collection
Theodor Zink Museum
Photo: © Stadt Kaiserslautern Theodor Zink Museum, Steinstr. 48, 67657 Kaiserslautern
Tel. 0631 365-2327
www.theodor-zink-museum.de
Tuesday to Friday: 9 am to 5 pm;
Saturday and Sunday: 10 am to 6 pm;
Closed Monday
Guided tours by telephone arrangement
Permanent Exhibition: Kaiserslautern – Time Pictures from Ten Millennia
Times of Opening: Wednesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 6pm, Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
Documentation – Stations of a Municipal Museum
From the History of the Theodor Zink MuseuEmmerich Smola School of Music and Music Academy
Kaiserslautern Zoo
The Kaiserslautern Zoo is a popular destination located in Siegelbach in the northwestern outskirts of the city’s suburbs: an oasis of tranquility where you discover nature, and learn interesting details about the kingdom of animals.
KAMMGARN Kaiserslautern
The Kammgarn is one of the top venues in Germany and for years has been an internationally respected, first-call concert hall for pop, rock, hip-hop, rap, indie, jazz, blues, comedy, cabaret, punk, goth, infotainment and more.
“The SNUG” Irish Pub
Kaiserslautern’s funnest place to be
Opened in August 2013 in the location of former Irish Pub, Thursty Nellys, it has been totally transformed by new manger, Lisa Muehlberger.
K1 HIGH ROPES Course Fröhnerhof
The attraction in the Palatinate forest
Climbing Fun – Up the trees
A wonderful piece of nature, healthy trees, a few loads of building wood, many meters of steel and the enthusiasm you bring along – discover for yourself the purest joy of climbing! The courses consist of exercises which make the way from one platform to the next a genuine adventure, with obstacles made from cables, swings, rope bridges and wooden bridges.
K1 – THE IDEAL DESTINATION FOR; Family tours, School trips, Team-Events , Club and company excursions , Birthday parties, … and of course also for you!
Irish House Kaiserslautern
Spacious pub dedicated to the Irish tradition. Here you can enjoy a Guinness® or Kilkenny® by the crackling fireplace or play a round of pool or darts with friends. The old stucco ceilings are witnesses to the past decades and could tell tales of many a long night. The well-stocked bar offers the right drink not only for whiskey lovers. At least 6 beers always on tap complement by a large selection of bottled beers. Smoke-free house.
EVENTS
Perfect sound and acoustics on three floors, plus a state-of-the-art lighting system. The event room was completely renovated in 2021, and live concerts have been taking place every week since. Whether 30 or 300 visitors, the possibilities offered by the special architecture ensure that every event is a success.
BEER GARDEN
A beautiful old tree population provides guests with plenty of shade in summer to relax with an after-work beer. The small stage on the edge of the Eselsbach stream is used weather permitting for Summer Sunday Sessions. Artists from the region gather here, and the kitchen provides the perfect dishes to accompany the music.
Irish House, Eselsfürth 11, 67657 Kaiserslautern