A Week of Free Music at Günther-Klotz-Anlage
You don’t get many chances to catch big names and local heroes for free, but that’s exactly what DAS FEST AM SEE 2025 offers fans in Karlsruhe. This festival, happening from July 16 to 22, stretches out over a full week at Günther-Klotz-Anlage and Ruderbootsee—venues that have become absolute hotspots for summer music lovers. There’s no entry charge, and the lineup is anything but slim: expect a healthy blend of regional flavor and recognizable faces, all set outdoors in the heat of the season.
It’s the ultimate warm-up to DAS FEST Karlsruhe, treating early birds to a sample of acts before the city’s main festival erupts. People bring their families, teens come to catch their favorite bands, and even the youngest music fans can groove thanks to plenty of daytime entertainment. The festival uses multiple stages and keeps the action rolling from sunny afternoons into late-night performances. The vibe is easy-going, blending families, students, and music lovers all in one sprawling lawn by the lakeside.
Daily Performances and Headliners
The heart of DAS FEST AM SEE is its music, and the focus is sharply on regional acts. Most eyes are on Friday night when REINDEERS take the main stage at 21:30. Fast forward to Sunday, and LIQUID is set to grab the spotlight at 21:15, ensuring weekends finish with a bang. Other anticipated sets include Buchi & the Southbound Allstars, who add extra flair on Thursday by bringing Peter Freudenthaler from Fools Garden—a familiar face many in the crowd grew up listening to.
Diversifying the lineup, Marcus Zimmermann performs an uplifting set with both a full band and a choir, promising that huge festival sound on Sunday. If you’re hanging out till the very end, SWR3-Tag on July 22 features Laurin Sigmund and DJ Josh Kochhann, mixing radio hits with live show energy so nobody leaves on a low note.
Each day, the festival unpacks new acts and flavors. Wednesday jumps off with The Funky Valentines, HEADSALAD, and the energetic Fou Fighterz. Thursdays bring Last Train and the quirky duo der Katze & die Hund. By Friday, the evening heats up with David Eckstein and the classic covers of HardCover. Saturday’s Hoepfner Summer Night features the Cocktail Harbor Band and the soulful stylings of Soulcafé, making for a night that slips from easy listening to danceable beats.
Sunday shakes things up with New Wave Day, packing performances by HM-BigBand, Musikkita INTAKT, Simone Mitzner, and TheBeatBoyz. Monday is no slouch, either—Jonas Gavriil, Chilibones, and FUNK YOU keep the fun going into the start of a new week. Each theme and act draws its own crowd, giving every visitor something new and keeping the atmosphere buzzing all week long.
DAS FEST AM SEE isn’t just background noise to summer—it’s become a signature spot where local German music gets its due and fans can discover tomorrow’s new favorites while soaking up that open-air festival feel.
Comments
naresh g
This is incredible! I mean, free entry? For a whole week? And REINDEERS headlining? That’s like finding a unicorn in a parking lot-except the unicorn is playing synth-pop under a lakeside sky. Also, Fou Fighterz? Are they named after a typo or is this a secret punk band from a parallel universe? I need to know everything.
Brajesh Yadav
THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I'VE SEEN ALL YEAR!!! 🥹🎶 Who even DOES this anymore?! No tickets?! No corporate sponsors crushing the vibe?! People are just… enjoying music?! I’m crying. I’m packing my tent. I’m dragging my entire family. If you don’t go, you’re not just missing a festival-you’re missing your soul’s summer vacation. 🌞🔥 #FreeMusicIsSacred
Govind Gupta
There’s something quietly magical about how this festival layers the sonic textures-folk-infused indie on Wednesday, soulful brass on Saturday, then that unexpected New Wave Day on Sunday. It doesn’t feel curated so much as organically grown, like a wildflower patch that just happened to bloom right beside a lake. The inclusion of choirs and regional acts isn’t tokenism-it’s reverence. You can feel the intention behind each set.
tushar singh
Hey everyone, if you’ve never been to a lakeside festival in Germany, this is your sign. Bring a blanket, some snacks, and maybe a friend who doesn’t know the lyrics to any of the songs-you’ll end up singing them by Monday. Seriously, this is the kind of community vibe that makes you believe in summer again. You’re gonna remember this.
Nikhil nilkhan
I’ve been to a lot of festivals. Some loud. Some empty. Some overpriced. This one? It feels like a gift. Not because it’s free, but because it doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. No neon lights, no merch booths everywhere, no influencers posing on stages. Just people, music, and water. That’s rare. That’s worth showing up for.
Damini Nichinnamettlu
Why is this even allowed? In Germany? No entry fee? No passport check? No mandatory cultural education seminars? This is pure anarchy. And I love it. The fact that they’re playing local bands instead of streaming the same 10 global hits proves they still have a spine. Respect.
Vinod Pillai
Free? Seriously? This is just a trap. Someone’s collecting data. Or it’s a front for a cult. Or the city’s just too broke to pay the performers. Either way, if it’s too good to be true, it’s probably illegal. You’re all being manipulated. Don’t go. Stay home. Watch Netflix.
Avantika Dandapani
I just imagine a little girl, maybe eight years old, dancing barefoot in the grass while Buchi & the Southbound Allstars play… and her mom is smiling because she remembers her own first concert. That’s what this is. Not just music. It’s memory-making. And I’m so glad it exists. Please, someone tell me where to get tickets-wait, no tickets? Perfect.
Ayushi Dongre
The sociocultural implications of a municipally supported, non-commercialized, multi-day outdoor music event in a post-industrial urban lakeside zone are profoundly significant. It reconfigures public space as a site of collective aesthetic experience, dismantling the commodification of leisure. Furthermore, the deliberate curation of regional acts fosters a localized cultural ecosystem, reinforcing identity through sonic plurality rather than homogenized algorithmic playlists. One might even argue that this represents a quiet revolution in public cultural policy.