Aquarena Night - The Dillenburg City Festival

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Andreas Gabalier, The Beatles, Metallica, Volbeat & Co.
Aquarena Night offers music for a wide audience

The Aquarena Night, the popular Dillenburg city festival, enters its next round and electrifies the Oranienstadt once again this year! On Saturday, August 22, the Dillenburg city center transforms into a large open-air music landscape again. Enjoying companionship, a lively atmosphere, exuberant party mood, and the Oranienstadt in a sparkle of lights – all this will be offered to music-loving guests on-site with a wide range of good live music and culinary delights. Nine national and international live bands of different styles, several DJs in the city, cozy and party spots, bumper car fun, and a groovy planet radio party in the Hofgarten – these are the highlights of this year's Dillenburg city festival on August 22!

After the musical concept was revised some time ago, the summer event is gaining increasing popularity. Tribute bands from the musical genres of pop, rock, and hard rock or heavy metal have now taken center stage for the seventh consecutive year. The goal of a tribute band is to reproduce the musical compositions of a well-known band as authentically as possible. The artist groups often do not limit themselves to simply copying the music but also emulate their idols' outward appearances and sometimes deliver a perfect reproduction of the original artists' shows. Visitors to the Aquarena Night 2026 can look forward to a total of nine live bands on three main stages this year. Cool sounds will again create a lively atmosphere among the partygoers in front of the hyped party stage in the Hofgarten. In order for as many music-loving guests as possible to find their way to the Oranienstadt again in 2026, a promising program has been put together for the popular summer event.

Band program for all party and rock enthusiasts

This year's music program is again very diverse, consisting of national and international tribute bands as well as artist groups with their own original material.

On the live stage of the Maibachzentrum between Markt- and Maibachstraße, "Aerials" from Hungary will create quite a stir starting at 6:30 p.m.: The System of a Down tribute band has been around for just over two years and has since dedicated itself wholeheartedly to the work of the Californian metal giant. They will be followed by the powerful performance of "Bad Lizard" from the Düsseldorf area – a tribute to Def Leppard and rock music from the legendary 80s. Closing this stage as headliner is SAD from Italy, presenting the classics of the American metal legend Metallica. Just a few meters away, the first mood creator on the stage at Wilhelmsplatz is called "Zum Horst." The "Hörste" from the Siegen-Wittgenstein area will provide classic rock from the 70s and 80s starting at 6:30 p.m. The audience can look forward to a real hit with "Still Counting." The musicians from Mittelhessen specialize in Danish rock’n’roll/metal by Volbeat – the resemblance to the original is unmistakable. The third band of the night on this stage is called "THE PETELES.” Four die-hard musicians from the Westerwald, all named Pete, play captivating Beatles songs and moreover manage to sneak in a very cool selection of other significant bands from rock history into their musical program. At the same time, the atmosphere will rise in Hüttenplatz as three more top-class bands heat things up for the guests. Starting at 6:30 p.m., "Viper Room" from Lahnau kicks off with music for every fan of 80s rock & hard rock. Next on Hüttenplatz is Kevin, the most famous Andreas Gabalier double in Germany. The highlight of the evening on this stage comes from Italy. "Big Ones" passionately dedicates itself to the legendary cult band Aerosmith and impresses with remarkable attention to detail.

But the Hofgarten will also be integrated into this year's festivities again and offers an attractive planet radio party stage, especially for younger guests. Here, DJ Mark Hartmann & Friends will present upbeat party music. With his versatile music repertoire and a keen sense of his audience, DJ Mark Hartmann perfectly understands how to mix the right tunes and create excitement with creative originals from Black, House, and Classics, particularly thrilling the club scene.

Additionally, besides the large main stages, festival-goers will be offered an excellent framework program. Dillenburg restaurateurs and clubs are also participating in the big summer event, creating additional musical gathering and meeting spots within the event area. Among other things, there will be a relaxed oasis of calm amidst the bustling festival happenings at the LIONS WEINTREFF – LC Dillenburg-Schlossberg in the Hofgartenstraße / Rasaunenberg corner. Members of the Lions Club will serve selected wines for a good cause while a vinography artist provides special accents with her artworks. In keeping with the motto: Enjoy, linger, do good! Moreover, guests of the Aquarena Night can look forward for the first time to the Oranje Lounge in Marktstraße. The brewery Betuws Bier BV from Buren (NL), a member community of the Union of Oranienstädte, will offer special beer specialties as part of this. The musical backdrop will be provided by entertainer Frank Mignon and the enchanting Anita Vidovic. Celebrating like in the 90s and 2000s is also on the agenda in another area of the Hofgarten! Visitors can expect funky disco vibes, combined with the biggest party hits from DJ Laigi, colorful cocktails, and bumper car fun as a special highlight. The HANGOVER CLUB LOUNGE provides the perfect setting for everyone who wants to dance, celebrate, and fully enjoy the evening. Numerous food and beverage stalls complete the diverse offerings on site. A map on-site will show festival guests all the spots so that everyone can find what they like!

The entry fee for this year's open-air event is 8 euros. And the good news – for the first time, tickets can be purchased online in advance, preventing long waiting times at the entrances. The walking distances between the individual stages are kept short, and the gastronomic offerings are as diverse as ever. Drinks are available in 0.4 l containers for only 3.50 euros each. The purchase price for a festival cup is 1 euro. However, anyone who still has 0.4 l cups from past Aquarena Nights can of course bring them to the festival again. For the fourth consecutive time, voucher or beverage counters will be positioned at all four entrances and at two additional locations on the event grounds at Hofgarten and on the inner-city Wilhelmsplatz. At these, drink vouchers can be purchased, which can be exchanged for drinks within the event area. Additionally, drink vouchers from last year remain valid and can also be redeemed at the various beverage stalls this year.

The foundations for a successful Dillenburg city festival are certainly laid. Thus, hopes are high in Dillenburg and surrounding areas for a beautiful, mild, and above all dry summer evening on Saturday, August 22!