Arnstadt celebrates the magical Night of the Arts – rain can’t take anything away from us!

Arnstadt celebrates the magical Night of the Arts – rain can’t take anything away from us!

Last Saturday, July 12, 2025, Arnstadt experienced the first “Night of the Arts” - a celebration of creative diversity that was a success despite adverse weather conditions. The event took place in the picturesque Prinzenhof and in the church garden of the Liebfrauenkirche, and offered a colorful program that ranged from musical performances to literature and hands-on activities. The city of Arnstadt and the city and district library organized this event, which ran from 4 p.m. to midnight. As the Thuringian General reported, the evening was marked by the forecast of rain, which led to last-minute rescheduling. But the visitors were not impressed and were in a good mood.

Although the stage in the Prinzenhof remained standing, a second stage was also prepared in the Münzkeller to meet the demands of the weather. The program was promising: Anja Dobers and Martin Chaves created a wonderful atmosphere with an emotional performance of a Zaz song and their guitar music. The sound collective from Leipzig also impressed the guests with a mixture of pop, soul, blues and oldies. Anyone who was in the mood for poetry also got their money's worth: the poetry slammer Skog Ogvann and the songwriter friederike performed in the Münzkeller.

Creative highlights and hands-on activities

The focus was particularly on the literary offerings. Antje Horn told “Stories out of the Hat” in the city library, which captivated both children and adults. In addition to exciting readings by Thomas Niedlich, who read from his regional crime novel “Ochsenblutrot”, guests were also able to try out relaxing exercises with Petra Grinholc. Originally planned for the garden of the Church of Our Lady, they were moved to the library at short notice.

The event was accompanied by a book flea market that took place between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The event not only offered a platform for creative minds, but also the opportunity for exchange and cozy get-togethers. At the end of the evening, Benni Cellini impressed with spherical sounds on his electric cello, while the audience immersed themselves in the relaxed atmosphere.

A successful start with a view to the future

The organizers were very satisfied with how the first Night of the Arts went. Carsten Römhildt described the event as a successful test run. There are already requests from innkeepers for a larger event next year. This shows that the idea of ​​establishing such a festival in Arnstadt fell on fertile ground.

In order to ensure the safety of the event despite the bad weather conditions, a well-thought-out security concept was required. The German Weather Service supports organizers in better assessing the weather situation and making informed decisions. This becomes particularly important when you consider that factors such as the stability of the structures and protection options for visitors play a major role. With this in mind, everyone involved hopes that next year’s “Night of the Arts” will be even bigger and better.