Cologne Week at Ballermann: Bierkoenig, Schinkenstrasse, and singing voices from Cologne

When Cologne Comes Just After Playa de Palma

If you stroll along Schinkenstrasse this week, you might think you’ve suddenly landed in a Rhine pub. Between twinkling beer glasses and tourists surprisingly joining in, powerful singers and bands press their way through—and the mood is real: loud, a bit shameless, and surprisingly warm.

Program with Koelsch at Heart

In the Bierkoenig a theme week has been running for days, focusing on acts from the cathedral city. According to guests and locals, this year there are noticeably more acts from Cologne on site than in 2024. Among the announced guests are, among others, Marita Köllner and the Kluengelkopp, who are set to energize the afternoon (around 2–6 pm). On Friday, bands like Cöllner and Rabaue are on the schedule, and in the evening the familiar party voices take over: Tim Toupet, Peter Wackel, and Nancy Franck.

For those who prefer it without a live band: The small venue Et Dömsche on Bierstraße opts for a carefully curated Kölsch playlist program—singing along to the recording works too.

No Official Festival, Still a Tradition

The Cologne Week is not an official city-wide event. It is more of a habitual phenomenon: clubs, fan clubs, and regulars' tables have been bringing the typical songs and rituals for years, and somehow it stays that way. Previously the Bierstraße was the center; now Schinkenstraße has caught up—and some say it is even the new epicenter.

The mood has little to do with perfection. There are improvised street shows, beer crates as stands, and older fans who sing along to every song as if they had never done anything else. Children with streamers and bartenders, who smile as they hand out the next round—this is what makes it real.

Special highlight: On Monday, September 22 a small Rose Monday parade is planned on Schinkenstraße. Not a carnival parade like in Cologne, but a colorful procession with confetti and plenty of good vibes.

For everyone who wants to join the event: wear sturdy shoes, bring a little patience for the streets, and above all a desire to sing along. If you pull that off, you have a good chance of a day you won’t forget so quickly.