National festival - 250,000 guests expected at Thuringia Day 2025
The city of Gotha is expecting around 250,000 visitors for the Thuringia Day next year. At the festival weekend in early May, four stages and 14 themed miles will attract visitors to the residence city, as the Thuringian State Chancellery and City Administration announced 300 days before the event. Among other things, several concerts are planned in the courtyard of Schloss Friedenstein, a parade, and fireworks. The 19th edition of the Thuringia Day is embedded in the festivities for the 1250-year anniversary of the city, and the 125th anniversary of the internationally known high-wire troupe "Geschwister Weisheit" from Gotha is also to be celebrated. The Thuringia Day will be opened on May 2, 2025, with the first concert taking place on April 30, 2025.
The majority of the events will be free for visitors, a city spokesperson said. Tickets will be required for the concerts in the courtyard. The land and city are investing a total of around 600,000 Euro in the largest state festival in the Free State. A large part of the costs, according to Thuringia Day manager Candy Wetterhahn, will go towards safety measures and infrastructure. "The costs for these have been steadily increasing in recent years," he said.
Gotha is the first municipality to host the Thuringia Day again after 2011. The Thuringia Day has been taking place regularly since 1996 - the last time it was held in Schmalkalden. The city had a deficit between revenues and expenses in the following years and attributed this in part to increased security costs.
Visitors planning their trip to Gotha in 2025 can look forward to the celebration of Thuringia Day, as this historic municipality will once again host the largest state festival in the Free State. During this Miscellaneous festival, Gotha transforms into a vibrant hub, attracting over 250,000 visitors with its array of events. Among these highlights, the courtyard of Schloss Friedenstein will host several paid concerts, including a special performance in honor of the 125th anniversary of the acclaimed high-wire troupe "Geschwister Weisheit" from Gotha.
