Summer Open Air 2026

Kick off the summer with hot beats and ice-cold drinks: PACT, in collaboration with the Zollverein Foundation, invites you to the Summer Open Air on the grounds of the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site! Between the Boulevard stage and the PACT terrace, an evening of relaxation, discovery, dancing, and socializing awaits—outdoors and with free admission.

TheRuhrgebietsSpatzen—Pani Kostka (Julia Nitschke) and Mercedes Tuccini (Jonas Leifert)—will host the evening. As a glamorous entertainment duo, they blend Schlager, performance art, and variety entertainment, ensuring dazzling transitions between the live acts.

In addition to a concert byKARMAKINDon the Boulevard stage, you can look forward toAnatole Buissonand his bandLes Monstre-Barbecue-Machineson the PACT terrace. They play unconventional pop that blends absurd poetry, subtle humor, and catchy grooves. The music of this Essen-based multi-instrumentalist is shaped by a wide range of influences: from classic funk and neo-sixties rock to French Touch and French chanson. With great enthusiasm and a knack for creating surprising moments, he and his four musicians deliver a live show that invites you to dance and dream.

Also joining the lineup isERREGUNG ÖFFENTLICHER ERREGUNG, a band that, like no other German band, manages to transform complex contemporary issues and social absurdities into biting miniatures—as evidenced on their latest album, *Speisekammer des Weltendes*. With a bag of fries in hand, they astutely observe the downfall of the world and charmingly serve up their observations through culinary metaphors. Their lyrics and sound playfully navigate between post-punk, Krautrock, and NDW—sometimes lighthearted, sometimes dark, but always intelligent and intense. 

After the concerts, the evening continues in a relaxed atmosphere with karaoke and DJ sets on the PACT terrace—featuring favorite songs and impromptu performances on a balmy summer night.