Mainzer Johannisnacht
We would like to thank everyone who made these four fantastic days of festivities possible, prepared, accompanied and organised them - and all the visitors! Together we are already looking forward to the next Johannisnacht, which will take place from 19 to 22 June 2026!
Mainzer Johannisnacht
In 1968, the year of the 500th anniversary of Johannes Gutenberg's death, Karl Delorme, then head of the social affairs department and himself a trained printer, launched the folk festival. Since then, the memory of the great inventor Johannes Gutenberg has been celebrated.
Artists’ market and creativity
Johannisnacht stretches along the banks of the Rhine from the Kaisertor to the Weintor and from Fischtorplatz via Liebfrauenplatz to Schillerplatz. In addition to carousels and other rides, there is an artists' market along the banks of the Rhine. The market offers handmade products and a variety of creative ideas in the areas of jewellery, clothing, decoration and gifts: Artists’ market
Street artists
Look forward to a colourful programme of talented artists. ‘Bubbles for fun’ presents its skills and shows its creative giant soap bubble show. Musical entertainment will be provided by the bagpipe players from Moguntia Pipes & Drums, the Sunshine Coconuts and the street dance group ‘NOSOUNDEXPERIENCE’ from Freiburg. The Zebra Stilt Theatre promises an entertaining performance with impressive costumes made especially for Mainz under the motto ‘Typography’. Jörn Kölling will also be taking up the Gutenberg theme. He will be performing a depiction of Gutenberg's life on his theatre bicycle.
Medieval Gutenberg games
Since the Johannisnacht is dedicated to Johannes Gutenberg and his ingenious invention of the printing press, the festivity pays homage to medieval folklore. One of the most popular events is the so-called “Gautschen”, a medieval custom where people are forcefully “baptised” in a large barrel of water. Back during Gutenberg’s days, this custom was performed to symbolically cleanse young printers of the sins of their apprentice years. Today, this splashy ritual takes place in front of an audience on the Gutenberg stage with people from printing-related jobs being baptized. Beware – the water is ice-cold!
Another throwback in time is a game of dice called Preisquadräteln, which was popular with printers in the Middle Ages. Special: the Gutenberg Museum has invited the well-known YouTuber, journalist and TV presenter Mirko Drotschmann, known to many as MrWissen2go, to open St John's Night 2025.
In addition, you can visit the book market on the Schillerplatz and Ballplatz squares, where you can browse through a large selection of antique books.
Sailing regatta and running event
Sports enthusiasts can watch the regatta on the Rhine or strap on their running shoes and take part in the Johannisnacht run, which crosses the river three times – hence its name “Drei-Brücken-Lauf” (fully booked).
A perfect mix of theatre, live music and cabaret
Apart from street art and medieval folklore, you can enjoy theatre performances, cabaret and fools on the many squares of the city or listen to lots of live music on the many stages in the city centre.
Family fun along the Rhine
The riverside around the Kurfürstliches Schloss offers an amusement park featuring a merry-go-around for children, a Ferries wheel and fast and fun rollercoasters for all ages. A variety of booths provides food and drinks, including first-class local wines. At night, the whole area is illuminated.
Drone light show
For Gutenberg's 625th birthday this year there will be a dronelight show at the end of Mainzer Johannisnacht. The show will take place on Monday evening over the Rhine (near fairground area R(h)einvergnügen/Kurfürstliches Schloss) and starts at around 10.30 pm. The Köln-Düsseldorfer shipping company is offering a boat tour for this event.
Johannisnacht 2025: drone light show as the grand finale
‘The 625th anniversary year of Gutenberg is the perfect time to wow the public on the banks of the Rhine with a drone light show over the Rhine for the first time on Johannisnacht Monday,’ says Lord Mayor Nino Haase. The head of the city doesn't want to go into detail just yet: ‘It's a premiere for us too and we want to surprise with the show, so we won't reveal any details just yet, just this much: with the show, we want to write a tribute to Gutenberg and his city of Mainz in the sky.’ Read more on mainz.de (in German).
Art, concerts, creativity and culinary delights: Johannisnacht in Mainz
Gautschen, street art, Rhine fun, live music and much more - from 20 to 23 June 2025 in Mainz city centre // Festival in honour of Gutenberg: in the year of his 625th birthday, a drone light show will be the grand finale on the banks of the Rhine for the first time
The festival will be opened on Friday, 20 June 2025 at 8 p.m. by Marianne Grosse, Head of the Festival Department, Mayor Nino Haase and Gautschmeister Jürgen Schunk, with Stefanie Zellmann as host. For further information, please consult mainz.de (in German).
Drei-Brücken-Lauf (running event, fully booked)
The traditional running event “Drei-Brücken-Lauf” (fully booked) takes place on Johannisnacht Sunday, 22 June 2025, at 10am. On the day of the competition you will find the results here: Drei-Brücken-Lauf (in German).
Event area
Schedule and opening hours
Which bands are performing during the Johannisnacht? Where are the stages situated? What are the highlights of the festival? Here you can find the answers to all your questions. The complete schedule for all four days is available as a PDF file for download or in the spreadsheet below (in German).
Opening hours are related to the festival at large. Separate booths may open or close differently.
City, fair, Mainzer Kulinarik am Rhein:
Friday, 20.06.2025: 12 am to 1 am
Saturday, 21.06.2025: 11 am to 1 am
Sunday, 22.06.20255: 11 am to midnight
Monday, 23.06.2025: 12 am to midnight
Please note: The stands on the banks of the Rhine (Rheinvergnügen fair) do not open until 2.00 pm on Friday and Monday.
Artists' market:
Rhine bank, Fischtor
Friday, 20.06.2025: 2 pm to 1 am
Saturday, 21.06.2025: 11 am to 11 pm
Sunday, 22.06.2025: 11 a.m. to 10 pm
Monday, 23.06.2025: 2 a.m. to 11 pm
Book market:
Ballplatz, Schillerplatz
Saturday, 21.06.2025: 11 am to 10 pm
Sunday, 22.06.2025: 11 am to 10 pm
Monday, 23.06.2025: 11 am to 10 pm
Directions and diversion of traffic
For the Mainz Johannisnacht from 20 to 23 June 2025, Mainzer Mobilität is increasing its transport services and offering a special low-cost ticket (from Friday to Monday).
- Please note that Ludwigsstraße will be closed from Monday, 16.06.2025, 4 a.m. to Wednesday 25.06.2025, 4 a.m. for the construction and dismantling of the event. Bus routes will be diverted.
Detailed information can be found here www.mainzer-mobilitaet.de/johannisnacht or at the RMV mobility advice center (Bahnhofplatz 6A, 55116 Mainz, 24/7 hotline +49 6131 12-7777.
When travelling with regional trains and busses emanating from Rheinhessen please consult the schedules on the RNN-Website: www.rnn.info
Parking facilities
If you arrive by car, please use the nearby parking lots and parking garages located at:
- Rheinufer
- Rheingoldhalle/Rathaus
- Brand
- Löhrstraße
Other parking garages in the city center:
- Kronberger Hof
- Theater
- Römerpassage
- Schillerplatz
- Kaufhof
- Weißliliengasse
Near the city center:
- Römisches Theater
- Fort Malakoff Park
- CineStar
Near the train station:
- CityPort
- Taubertsberg
- Bonifatius Türme
Park@Night
In the car parks of Parken in Mainz GmbH (PMG), the low night-time rate applies from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.: 5 euros.
Parking ticket as bus ticket (only in PMG parking garages)
Park your car safely and travel on by bus and tram! In the parking garages of Parken in Mainz GmbH (PMG), the parking ticket is valid as a ticket for up to four accompanying persons for 24 hours from the time of purchase!
The Mainz Johannisnacht takes place in the entire city center of Mainz, especially in the areas of Schillerplatz, Ballplatz, Gutenbergplatz, Marktplatz, Liebfrauenplatz, Leichhof, Ludwigsstraße, the banks of the Rhine from Kaisertor via Fischtorplatz to Weintor.
The event area is closed to all motor vehicles on the following days
- Friday 20.06.2025, 11.00 pm to Tuesday 24.06.2025, 06.00 am
From direction of Große Langgasse, the Ludwigsstraße/Weißliliengasse area is closed at the following times
- Friday, 20.06.2025, from 11.00 pm to Saturday, 06.00 am
- Saturday, 21.06.2025, from 11.00 am to Monday, 06.00 am
- Monday, 23.06.2025, from 11.00 am to Tuesday, 06.00 am
Access to the Weißliliengasse, Theatre and Kronberger Hof car parks is possible.
On Monday evening at around 10:30 pm, a drone light show will be shown for the first time as an alternative to the previous fireworks display. It will be centred north of the Theodor Heuss Bridge at the level of the Electoral Palace. In addition to the Theodor-Heuss-Brücke, Taunusstraße will also be closed to traffic during the drone show.
Closure times:
- Theodor-Heuss-Brücke: 23.06.2025 from 9:45 pm to 11:30 pm (private and public transport)
- Taunusstraße: 23.06.2025 from 10:15 pm to 11 pm (for private, cycle and pedestrian traffic, no parking spaces can be entered/exited in Taunusstraße during this period).
