Vintage and Rockabilly Festivals in Germany: The Annual Calendar

If you wear vintage fashion, you want somewhere to wear it. And nowhere is better for that than where everyone else looks the same: at the rockabilly festivals, weekenders, classic car meets and swing balls that come round every year. Here is our calendar for them, sorted by month, with everything we know ourselves or that customers and friends from the scene have recommended to us.

One thing up front: we deliberately do not give exact dates, only the rule by which a festival takes place, for example ‘always on the last weekend in July’. The current dates, tickets and programmes are on the organisers’ websites, which we link to in each case. That way the list will still be right next year. We go through it once a year and add whatever is new. If a festival is missing, just write to us.

What to wear to a rockabilly festival?

The short answer: what you like wearing anyway, just a touch bolder. A swing dress or rockabilly dress with a petticoat underneath, plus flat shoes, because there is a lot of dancing and walking on festival fields and in weekender halls. A short cardigan for cool evenings, and for the classic car meets a circle skirt and blouse are the better choice, as they stay in place when getting in and out of cars too. At the indoor weekenders it is often warm in the evening, so the dress alone is enough. What belongs to the style and what does not is covered in our article What is rockabilly?, and you will find the matching pieces in our Rockabilly Fashion collection.

January

Swing It Berlin (Berlin)

The Lindy Hop festival run by Swing Base takes place every year on the fourth weekend in January: workshops, four parties with live bands and a crowd that dresses for dancing as if it were the 40s. The passes regularly sell out long in advance. Dates at swingitberlin.com.

February

Rock That Swing Festival (Munich)

Germany’s biggest swing dance festival, always in mid-February from Thursday to Monday, with over 300 workshops in Lindy Hop, Boogie Woogie, Balboa and Charleston, balls at the Deutsches Theater and a vintage market where retro labels show their fashion. Even if you do not dance, it is well worth it, if only for the dresses in the ballroom. Information at rockthatswing.com.

March and April

Berlin Shake Rock’n’Roll Weekender (Berlin)

At the end of March at Festsaal Kreuzberg: international bands, DJs spinning vinyl, record hops, a dance class and traders’ stalls. The full weekender format does not happen every year, and in between there is a smaller club night. What is coming up is shown at berlinshake.com.

Pforzheimer Wirtschaftswunder (Pforzheim)

A shopping Sunday at the end of April when the whole town centre travels back to the 50s and 60s: over 200 classic cars in themed blocks, music and lots of visitors in petticoats. A day well worth an outing. Information at ws-pforzheim.de.

May

Retro Classics (Stuttgart)

Europe’s biggest classic car fair, with around 1,600 exhibitors, and between the cars there are traders selling vintage fashion too. We have been there ourselves. Until 2026 the fair took place at the end of February; from 2027 it moves to spring, from the end of April to the beginning of May. Dates at retro-classics.de.

Wiesloch Rock’n’Roll Weekender (Wiesloch)

The successor to the Walldorf Weekender, which came to an end at Whitsun 2026 after 27 years. From 2027 the Palatin in Wiesloch, just a few kilometres away, takes over with the support of the previous organiser: international bands in the concert hall, a record hop in the side room, market, workshops and pre-party, every year on the Whitsun weekend. The first edition runs at the end of May 2027. Information at palatin.de.

Internationales Mustang Meeting (Stein near Nuremberg)

In the Faber-Castell palace park, classic Ford Mustangs built between 1964 and 1973 gather at the end of May or beginning of June, with free admission, traders and live rockabilly music. For us one of the loveliest meets nearby. Information at mustangclub.de.

Musikbox- und Straßenkreuzer-Festival (Verl)

A 1950s nostalgia festival at the end of May in the Gütersloh district: hundreds of American land yachts, a large nostalgia market with jukeboxes, records and, explicitly, clothing too, plus music. Organised by the Jukin 50s Club, information at thejukin50s.club.

June

Rockabilly Convention (Pullman City, Eging am See)

At the western town in Lower Bavaria, around 20 rockabilly bands play on three stages over a weekend in early to mid-June, plus Boogie Woogie workshops, a burlesque show and a vintage market with traders. In recent years the date has moved from autumn to summer. Information at pullmancity.de.

Augsburger US-Car-Treffen (Augsburg)

The biggest US car meet in Bavaria, on a Sunday in mid-June at the exhibition grounds, with up to 1,000 vehicles from every era and a traders’ mile where petticoats hang too. Information at acfa-augsburg.de. If you go to the US car meets for more than just the dresses: Straßenkreuzer Magazin reports on classic American cars and the people who drive them, straight from the scene.

White ’n’ Blue Rockabilly Weekender (Peiting)

A weekender in Upper Bavaria that only takes place every two years, in mid-June from Thursday to Sunday: bands, record hops, flea market, dance class and a Hawaiian party. The next edition is announced for 2028. Information at white-n-blue.de.

Race 61 (Finowfurt)

On the last weekend in June there is racing on the grounds of the aviation museum in the Schorfheide: hot rods and classic cars built up to 1976 on the eighth mile, plus rockabilly bands and kustom kulture. Information at race61-finowfurt.de.

Rockabilly Weekend Schlossberg (Sonneberg)

A young festival in Thuringia, also on the last weekend in June, with a vintage market, US car and bike show, pinstriping and live bands. Information at schlossberg-sonneberg.de.

Tweed Ride Petershagen (Petershagen)

At the end of June the ADFC cycling club rides through the Weser countryside in clothing of the 20s and 30s, starting at the Glashütte Gernheim museum. Small, but just right for anyone who would rather wear tweed than a petticoat. Information from ADFC Petershagen.

July

Fladungen Classics (Fladungen, Rhön)

‘Oldies, Blech und Klamotten’ (oldies, chrome and clothes) is the motto, and that is exactly what it is: on the first weekend in July the whole old town of Fladungen is full of classic cars built up to 1975, there is a fashion show in the town hall courtyard, petticoats and records at the market and rock’n’roll on stage. Clothing of the 50s and 60s is explicitly welcome. Information at fladungen-rhoen.de.

Firebirds Festival (Grimma)

On the grounds of Nimbschen monastery near Leipzig, more than 30 bands play on two stages on the first weekend in July, from rock’n’roll and rockabilly to boogie and swing, plus vinyl DJs and a vintage market. Organised by the band The Firebirds. Information at firebirds-festival.de.

Hangar Rockin’ (St. Stephan, Switzerland)

At the military airfield in the Bernese Oberland, rock’n’roll, custom cars, classic cars and bikes come together on the first weekend in July, with live bands, an eighth-mile track and camping. Information at hangarrockin.com.

Oldie Town Festival (Wolframs-Eschenbach)

Ten kilometres from our shop, the old town of Wolframs-Eschenbach turns into a town festival of the 50s to 70s every two years, in odd-numbered years on the second weekend in July: over 30 bands on seven stages, a classic car parade, a petticoat contest. For us it is a home game. Information at oldietown.de.

Golden Oldies (Wettenberg)

The biggest nostalgia festival in Germany, every year on the last weekend in July near Giessen: eight stages, over 1,000 classic cars, a vintage market with fashion shows and around 60,000 visitors. The music ranges from the 50s to the 80s, but the rock’n’roll scene is strongly represented. Information at golden-oldies.de.

Rock’n’Roll Kurpark Festival (Bad Sauerbrunn, Austria)

‘Back to the Fifties’ in Burgenland, on the last weekend in July: Austria’s biggest retro festival, with 14 bands and shows, boogie workshops, a Miss Petticoat contest, classic cars and a vintage market. Information at rocknrollkurpark.com.

Rollin Dudes Festival (Leibnitz, Austria)

Also on the last weekend in July, in Styria: a rock’n’roll weekender with live bands, a US car meet and a vintage market. Information at rollindudes.com.

Custom Nationals (Geiselwind)

At the Strohofer truck stop on the A3 between Würzburg and Nuremberg, there is a bike and US car show with hot rods, muscle cars and rockabilly bands on the last weekend in July. Heavy on motorbikes, but with plenty of scene. Information at custom-nationals.de.

The Britnic Tweed Ride (Münster)

A bike ride of 25 to 30 kilometres on historic bicycles in clothing of the 20s to 50s, with a picnic along the way. The date varies between July and the end of August. Information at the-britnic-tweed-ride.de.

August

Rockabilly Days (Asperg)

On the first weekend in August near Ludwigsburg: an open-air event with free admission, international rockabilly bands, a car show and a traders’ mile, organised by volunteers from Rockabilly Support e.V. We were there with our stand in 2026, and you can read how it went in our report from the Rockabilly Days 2026. Information at rockabillydays.de.

Rockabilly Summerdance (Purgstall, Austria)

An open-air dance festival in 50s style in Lower Austria, at the end of July or beginning of August, with bands and free admission.

Summer Garage Jamboree (Bechhofen)

Twenty kilometres from Windsbach, the Rockabilly Garage Bechhofen holds a small festival in early to mid-August with a handful of bands, free camping and a scene crowd. Dates are posted on the Rockabilly Garage’s Facebook page.

Summershelter Festival (Biederitz near Magdeburg)

On the second weekend in August in Heyrothsberge park: live bands from swing to rockabilly, DJs and dance lessons, all open air. Information at summershelter.de.

Rockets C.C. US-Car-Treffen (Nuremberg)

On a Saturday in mid-August, US cars and classic cars built up to 1976 gather at the Big Horn Ranch in Nuremberg, with live rockabilly bands. Dates are announced by the club Rockets C.C. Nürnberg.

European Elvis Festival (Bad Nauheim)

Always on the weekend around 16 August, the anniversary of Elvis’s death, Bad Nauheim celebrates its most famous resident: concerts, tribute shows, classic cars and a fashion show with fashion of the 50s and 60s. Information at bad-nauheim.de.

Rock’n’Roll Festival Ganderkesee (near Bremen)

At Ganderkesee airfield, on the penultimate or last weekend in August: bands, DJs, free dance classes, classic cars and a vintage market where fashion is explicitly part of the mix. Information at rocknroll-festival.de.

Route 66 (Aarburg, Switzerland)

Switzerland’s biggest old car and rock’n’roll festival, on the last weekend in August in Aargau, with classic cars, bands, a record hop, a pin-up contest and vintage boutiques among the exhibitors. Information at route66aarburg.ch.

September

Tweed Run Oldenburg (Oldenburg)

On a Sunday in mid to late September, Oldenburg has been cycling in tweed and vintage clothing since 2013, with a stop along the way and teatime. Information at tweedrun.de. On the same weekend there is also the Tweed Ride in Hildesheim, information at tweed-ride.de.

US-Car-Treffen Gunzenhausen (Gunzenhausen)

At the end of September, on a Saturday at the fairground, with US cars and classic cars and free admission. Only half an hour away for us. Information at uscar-gunzenhausen.jimdo.com.

October

swingomania (Nuremberg)

The Lindy Hop and blues festival of the Boogie Woogie Club Nürnberg, on the first weekend in October around 3 October, with workshops and three dance evenings with live bands. The nearest swing festival for us. Information at swingomania.lindymaniacs.de.

Burlesque festivals (Stuttgart, Munich, Berlin, Cologne)

In early to mid-October the burlesque festivals come thick and fast: Stuttgart on the first weekend in October, Munich and Berlin in the middle of the month. Shows, workshops and a crowd that loves to be seen in vintage clothing. All dates at berlin-burlesque-festival.com and burlesque.de.

November

Retro Classics Bavaria (Nuremberg)

The little sister of the Stuttgart fair, in November or early December at the Nuremberg exhibition centre: classic and modern classic cars, plus an area for fashion and lifestyle. Visitors come mainly for the cars, but it is worth an afternoon. Information at retro-classics-bavaria.de.

Rockabilly Bombardment (Hohenems, Austria)

An indoor weekender in Vorarlberg on the first weekend in November, with around nine international bands, organised by the Rockabilly Club Bombardeers. Information at bombardeers.com.

December

Western Winter und Rockabilly Special (Pullman City Harz, Hasselfelde)

On the second weekend in December the western town in the Harz becomes the scene’s winter quarters: rock’n’roll and rockabilly bands of the 50s and 60s, for almost twenty years now. Information at pullmancityharz.de.

Let’s Get Wild Weekender (Stuttgart)

New Year’s Eve at the Sängerhalle Untertürkheim, from 30 December to 2 January: an indoor weekender with around eleven international rockabilly bands. The organiser communicates via Instagram and Facebook under the name Let’s Get Wild Weekender.

All year round: Bohème Sauvage

Not a festival field but a night in the ballroom: since 2006, Bohème Sauvage has been the 1920s party with a strict dress code, live jazz, burlesque, a casino with play money and an absinthe bar. In Berlin roughly every one to two months on a Saturday, plus guest events in Cologne, Hamburg and Jena, boat trips on the Spree in summer and a New Year’s Eve ball. If you are wondering what to wear: anything from our 1930s Fashion collection works there. Dates at boheme-sauvage.com.

Is something missing?

Certainly. The scene thrives on small events that spread only by word of mouth, and those are exactly the ones we want to collect here. If you know a festival, meet or weekender that belongs on this list, write to us via the contact page and we will add it. And whenever we are somewhere with our stand, you will find it in good time in our newsletter and on Instagram.