Feast for the senses
In the spring, Karlsruhe always shows off its colorful side with the Festival of the Senses, inviting visitors to embark on a true journey of indulgence. When the city center transforms into a vibrant spring landscape, it’s time to stroll, feast, savor, and shop.
A Look Back at 2026
April 25 & 26, 2026
This year, young and old alike were treated to a huge food fair, a vintage fire truck gathering, a colorful program for children and families as well as great activities in Karlsruhe’s city center neighborhoods. A special highlight was the Sunday shopping on April 26, 2026, when shoppers could shop to their heart’s content in the city center and in Durlach from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Frequently asked questions
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The Festival of the Senses 2026 took place this year on April 25 and 26 in downtown Karlsruhe. Over the weekend, Marktplatz, Schlossplatz, Kirchplatz St. Stephan, and Stephanplatz were transformed into a colorful spring landscape featuring numerous attractions.
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The Gourmet Market. During the event weekend, Karlsruhe’s market square was transformed into a gourmet oasis from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. each day, with more than 40 select stalls offering a wide variety of specialties and delicacies inviting visitors to enjoy and linger. You can find all the food stalls and their culinary offerings for 2026 here. Spring-like music and street art.
Other highlights this year included the vintage fire truck meet, the mobile bicycle museum, and the information area on Schlossplatz, as well as the children’s program on St. Stephan Church Square and the POSTGALERIE’s ninja obstacle course on Stephanplatz. Not to be forgotten: the Sunday shopping in downtown Karlsruhe and Durlach and many great spring promotions in Karlsruhe’s neighborhoods.
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Yes—the Festival of the Senses offered plenty of activities for children and families. On St. Stephan’s Church Square, there was the play street "Zone 30" , a large interactive paradise featuring well-known game manufacturers, and on Stephanplatz, a ninja obstacle course invited visitors to try their hand or cheer on participants, while Schlossplatz transformed into a world of adventure with vintage fire trucks, exciting demonstrations, and the Mobile Bicycle Museum .
You can find the complete children's and family program here.
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Yes, the Gourmet Market on the market square offered a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes. You’ll soon find an overview of all the vegetarian and vegan delicacies and food stands for 2026 here.
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Since heavy traffic was expected in Karlsruhe throughout the weekend, using public transportation was recommended. All event venues were easily and quickly accessible on foot from the underground stations Marktplatz, Kronenplatz, Ettlinger Tor, and Europaplatz/Postgalerie. For more information—including details on how to get to Karlsruhe—visit the website of the Karlsruhe Transport Authority (KVV).
For drivers, there were numerous parking garages in the city center. We recommend using the parking guidance system to find available parking spaces quickly and easily. There was also the option to use the P&R lots, some of which are free (e.g., Mühlburg Station, Europahalle, Fächerbad). You can find an overview of all Park & Ride locations here.
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