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Luckenwalde: Tower Festival 2026 – free entry? Plans and reforms are coming!
Luckenwalde elects Jochen Neumann as the new mayor. Tower Festival 2026 could be free – reforms and security issues are pending.
Luckenwalde: Tower Festival 2026 – free entry? Plans and reforms are coming!
An exciting time is in store for Luckenwalde. From January 2026, the independent Jochen Neumann will take over the office of mayor and also has big plans for the renowned Tower Festival, which will take place for the 34th time next year. Neumann sees reforms as necessary in order to make the event sustainable and to relieve the financial burden. The focus is particularly on admission: the idea of holding the festival in 2026 without an entrance fee could, however, cost the city a loss of around 105,000 euros Märkische Allgemeine reported.
The Tower Festival, which will be celebrated this year from June 6th to 9th at the traditional locations around the market tower, is a festival for the entire family. Numerous visitors are expected again in 2025, who can look forward to a colorful program with modern rides, market stalls and live music from various genres. The entry prices have already been set and vary between 8 and 15 euros depending on the day of the visit. On Mondays, entry is even free, like that City of Luckenwalde indicates.
Reforms and austerity measures
But it's not just admission that will be up for discussion. Under the “Turmfest Light” concept, the number of stages will be reduced from three to two and the focus will be on local artists. The aim is to retain the Volksbühne at the town hall for techno music and at the same time maintain the range of rides - including a Ferris wheel and bumper cars.
Another critical point is the security protocols. There are currently considerations for two security concepts: A minimal concept without a construction fence with random checks could cost the city 60,000 euros, while a fence with bag checks would cost 80,000 euros. These details will be voted on at the upcoming city council meeting in December, as the Märkische Allgemeine reports.
The challenges on the horizon
The discussion about cost cutting and the future of the Tower Festival has been buzzing in the town hall for several years. In 2025, Luckenwalde had to contribute around 120,000 euros to make the festival possible. The incumbent mayor Elisabeth Herzog-von der Heide has announced that she will abstain from the votes, but they still insist on high security standards.
The upcoming Tower Festival will not only be a pleasure for visitors, but also a test for the future mayor's new ideas and reforms. With numerous decisions on the agenda, it remains to be seen how the responsible team will adapt to the challenges.