Volunteer at festivals 2026: Help out & join for free
The 2026 festival summer is just around the corner and creative spaces for music, art and culture are once again springing up all over Germany this year. Many of the large and small events are free of charge and are made possible with the support of volunteers. But paid events and festivals also rely on volunteers and in return offer free admission and a unique look behind the scenes.
Would you like to be actively involved behind the scenes this summer, rather than just being a visitor? Then we’ll show you here which festivals and events you can support this summer as a volunteer and be there for free.
We will be updating this post throughout the summer. It’s worth checking back again and again!
Volunteer & join for free at festivals in Berlin
Mierendorffinsel Intercultural Summer Festival (13 Aug 2026) | Berlin
About the festival
BENN Mierendorffinsel, in collaboration with DRK Schöneberg-Wilmersdorf hilft gGmbH, SPORTBUNT e.V. and Vorspiel e.V., is organising an intercultural summer festival in the Berlin district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf. With music, international food, sport and creative hands-on activities, the festival brings neighbours together and creates an open space for everyone to meet.
Here’s how you can join in:
On 13 August 2026, from 1 pm to 8 pm, we are looking for volunteers to help with setting up and dismantling, running hands-on activities for children and families, supervising a creative mapping project, and serving food and drink. Your involvement is flexible, and you don’t have to be there for the whole time. Every bit of support is valuable.
Zug der Liebe (27 Aug 2026) | Berlin
About the festival
The Zug der Liebe started in 2015 as an initiative of music enthusiasts, media professionals and creative people and has since organized a large demonstration in Berlin once a year, which makes civic engagement visible and invites people to show solidarity. In addition to the annual demonstration, the association is also involved in cold weather aid and supports other civil society projects.
Here’s how you can join in:
The association is looking for people who would like to get involved on a regular and flexible basis, for example in social media support (Instagram, Facebook), general association work or bookkeeping. The commitment takes place digitally, regardless of location. The amount of time and commitment are agreed individually.
Volunteering & join for free at festivals in Hamburg
Osterbrooklyn Festival (22 Aug 2026) | Hamburg
About the festival
The Osterbrooklyn Festival is a volunteer-run neighbourhood festival on the banks of the Bille river in Hamburg-Hamm, organised by the non-profit association BOOT e.V. With live bands, family activities and an open community space right on the water, the festival creates a special gathering place for neighbours, guests and culture lovers. 22 August is the second day of the festival.
Here’s how you can join in:
On 22 August 2026 from noon to 10 pm, helpers are needed for various shifts: set-up, band support, catering (food and drinks), the children’s area, and keeping the grounds and toilet facilities clean. You can take on one or more shifts, and no prior experience is required. Food and drinks are provided during your shift, and you will receive meal vouchers as a thank-you. Weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear are recommended.
Volunteer & join for free at festivals in Bavaria
Wallesau ist Blau (28–29 Aug 2026) | Roth
About the festival
The Wallesau ist Blau Open Air is the rock festival in the Roth district, south of Nuremberg. Organised by Musikinitiative Wallesau e.V., it takes place every year on the last weekend in August and brings the region’s band culture to an open-air stage. Rock, metal, punk and ska take centre stage at this festival, which is characterised by a genuine sense of community and the passion of its volunteers.
Here’s how you can join in:
We are looking for volunteers for the festival weekend and the preparations leading up to it. There are plenty of roles available: admissions, stewarding, bar, barbecue, stage, merchandise and more. You will be assigned tasks based on your skills or given training. Advanced German language skills are required.
Festivals & sustainability?
Sustainability is also playing a growing role in the festival and event sector – for example in the reduction of waste, climate-friendly travel, barrier-free access and fair working conditions behind the scenes. Organizers and networks are increasingly concerned with the question of how festivals can be made more ecologically, socially and economically sustainable.
An important player in this field is the Höme – For Festivals network, which is committed to promoting greater sustainability in the festival industry with various projects. These include educational formats such as the “Festival Playground”, cooperation with initiatives such as“Music Declares Emergency“, the annual award for particularly sustainable festivals and surveys on environmentally relevant aspects of events.
Get involved in sustainability at festivals
Many events are specifically looking for volunteer support in the area of sustainability – e.g. in recycling, awareness work or supporting accessibility measures. If the topic is important to you, you can ask the organizers specifically about getting involved in this area.
Your vostel.de team wishes you a fantastic festival summer!
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