If knights, kings, pirates and bandits are your cup of tea, then this travelling medieval and fantasy festival should be right up your alley. Featuring jugglers, acrobats, a jousting tournament and more, this unique medieval festival attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Spectaculum Medieval Festival in various German towns

Having taken place at the Öjendorfer park in Hamburg for 25 years, the Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum (Spectaculum Medieval Festival - MPS) has now relocated to the small towns of Rastede, Bückeburg, Weil am Rhein, Speyer and Luhmühlen.

At each location, a usually quiet green meadow is transformed into a huge medieval camp during one weekend, with over 3.000 participants setting up stalls, tents and stages.

In 2026, the times, dates and locations are as follows:

• Bad Sackingen - April 25-26, 2026
• Rastede - May 14-17, 2026
• Gut Emkendorf - May 23-25, 2026
• Bückeburg - July 25-26 & August 1-2, 2026
• Weil am Rhein - August 14-16, 2026
• Speyer - August 22-23, 2026
• Luhmühlen - September 4-6, 2026
• Borken - September 26-27, 2026

Knights, kings and steam-punk princesses at MPS

Expect to see and try everything from organic mead to spit-roast meat and handmade medieval apparel, with over a hundred different vendors offering their goods throughout the two-day event.  

Of course, most people who attend Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum don’t just go in their regular everyday clothes. Instead, they dress the part, becoming pirates, kings, jesters, or fantasy creatures for the weekend. The sky’s really the limit as to what character you wish to become, with many of the festival workers reenacting the hard daily life faced by people during medieval times.

Spectaculum tournaments fit for a king

One of the main highlights of each Spectaculum is the knight’s tournaments, in which lance and sword-carrying knights joust and duel to win. Participants on horseback charge at each other at full speed, in an attempt to knock the other from their seat.

In addition to watching the crowd's colourful costumes and tourneys, the weekend festival also offers endless forms of entertainment, from acrobats and jugglers to musical acts and fire-dancing. Visitors can also pay a visit to a traditional bathhouse, try their hand at archery or watch a falconry show. 

Visiting Medieval Specatculum Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum

Are you ready to release your inner medieval priest or knight? For more information on the Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum or to get your tickets now, head on over to the official Spectaculum website.

Photos: © Specatculum Luhmühlen