Don’t just hear it, but feel it too? Sounds like Nuremberg.

Music often binds emotions and memories to experiences – especially at festivals, which create unforgettable experiences through the combination of music, location, and community. It is precisely this interplay that is the focus of the “Nürnberg klingt nach!” ampaign from the Nuremberg Convention and Tourist Office.

In addition to its historical and culinary fame, Nuremberg looks back on a rich musical tradition: from the Meistersinger era with Hans Sachs to Johann Pachelbel and today's diverse music scene. The music festivals in Nuremberg – whether large crowd-pullers or finely curated festivals for connoisseurs – carry this diversity out into the world. They make use of the city's architectural features, transforming historical locations into stages and thus creating a special connection between music, space, and audience.

Six outstanding festivals – st. katharina open air, Musikfest ION, Klassik Open Air, Bardentreffen, Nürnberg Pop, and NUEJAZZ – are at the heart of the campaign. They impressively demonstrate how music and the city merge into a unique experience in Nuremberg.

Festivals with surprising highlights? Sounds like Nuremberg!

The festivals

Musicfest ION

Classic Open Air

Nuremberg Pop

st. katharina open air

Bardentreffen

NUEJAZZ Festival

Anja Common, st. katharina open air

„The historic walls of the Katharinenruine give every concert a unique flair - combined with the special acoustics, great musicians and the open-air feeling, every evening is an unforgettable experience.“

Moritz Puschke, Musikfest ION

„The Musicfest ION offers a bold and diverse programme, realised with charismatic stars from classical music, pop and jazz. Nuremberg's churches are extraordinary sound spaces - this is where the pinnacle of church music meets iconic songs and sensational world premieres. Our concerts set the soul vibrating.“

Maike Renner, Klassik Open Air

„The Klassik Open Air is a concert experience for everyone - in the open air, with a picnic blanket and no dress code. A place where thousands of people can experience and celebrate music together.“

Rainer Pirzkall, Bardentreffen

„Whether international acts on the stages or individual street music - for three days, the Bardentreffen turns Nuremberg into a meeting place for world music, open-mindedness and melodious stories from all over the world.“

David Lodhi & Thomas Wurm, Nürnberg Pop

„Nürnberg Pop is more than just a festival - it is a statement for musical diversity and also a driving force for the local scene. This is where well-known acts meet new talent, concert experiences meet cultural debate."

Frank Wuppinger, NUEJAZZ Festival

„With free concerts, contributions from students at the University of Music and the Faculty of Design and a growing children's programme, the NUEJAZZ festival creates a variety of access points. The weekly ‘Groove Gathering’ session at AEG - organised by Nürnberger Jazzmusiker e.V. - is just as much a part of this as the stage for young jazz talents from Nuremberg. NUEJAZZ thus sends a strong signal for cultural participation in the City of Human Rights.“

Text blocks

We have prepared text blocks for you which you can download as a PDF and use as you wishYou can find additional text blocks and material in our media room.

Factsheet st. katharina open air Factsheet Musikfest ION Factsheet Klassik Open Air

Factsheet Bardentreffen Factsheet Nürnberg Pop Factsheet NUEJAZZ

Media room

Looking for images for your media coverage? You’ll find a selection of music festivals pictures in our media room.

Bardentreffen Nürnberg ©Kristof Göttling — © Kristof Göttling

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Press release music festival

Music festivals in Nuremberg – Sounds like!

The Nuremberg Convention and Tourism Center (CTZ) is launching the campaign “Music Festivals Nuremberg – Sounds like!”, which focuses on Nuremberg's diverse music festival scene. The aim is to position the city as an attractive destination for music lovers and to highlight the emotional experiences created by the interplay of sound, atmosphere, and special venues.

Details

Hybrid Press Event

Under the motto “Music festivals in Nuremberg – Sounds like! the Nuremberg Convention and Tourist Office (CTZ) invited media representatives to to discover Nuremberg's musical diversity on May 5, 2025.

During the press conference, the mayor of Nuremberg, Marcus König, the managing director of CTZ, Yvonne Coulin, the managing director of the ION music festival, Moritz Puschke, and other festival organizers were available to answer questions about the campaign.
They provided exciting insights into the new campaign, which focuses on Nuremberg's vibrant music scene – from classical to jazz, open air to club.

Don’t miss the opportunity to view this hybrid press event and watch the content as you see what was served that evening.

To the press event (in German)