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Castle Party Festival 2026
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Castle Party Festival 2026

Castle Party Festival is one of Europe’s largest gothic rock and dark independent festivals, held every July at Bolków Castle in south‑western Poland. The 2026 edition runs from 16 to 19 July, once again turning the medieval stronghold and the town of Bolków into the dark heart of the gothic, darkwave and industrial scene.

16 - July 19(2026)
Zamek w Bolkowie + Park Stage w parku miejskim / przy zamku., Bolków, PL
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About

Castle Party was founded in 1994 at Grodziec Castle as a small independent festival that gradually began attracting more and more visitors from Poland and abroad. In 1997 the event moved to Bolków Castle, whose medieval setting and compact town proved ideal for the festival’s gothic atmosphere, and Bolków has been its permanent home ever since. The musical programme initially focused on goth and dark wave but has expanded over the years to include industrial, EBM, synthpop, post‑punk and more experimental electronic acts. Over three decades Castle Party has hosted artists such as Tiamat, Lacrimosa, Deine Lakaien, Clan of Xymox, Diary of Dreams, Fields of the Nephilim, London After Midnight, Project Pitchfork and Paradise Lost. Press materials describe Castle Party as one of the most important gatherings of the gothic and dark independent scene in Central Europe, drawing fans from Poland, Germany, Czechia, Slovakia and many other countries. The 2026 edition continues this tradition with four days of concerts, afterparties and side events spread across Bolków and the castle grounds.

Event Character

Castle Party presents itself as an independent dark festival, aimed at fans of goth, dark wave, industrial, EBM and related styles with a strong underground and subcultural identity. Its unique atmosphere comes from the setting: the main stage in the castle courtyard, a second stage in the park and club shows or afterparties in nearby venues and the old evangelical church. The festival is also a major gathering of the dark scene community, with thousands of people dressed in black, gothic, steampunk or cyber‑goth outfits, creating a visual micro‑world of alternative culture.

History & Evolution

1994–1996: the first editions took place at Grodziec Castle on a small, underground scale. Since 1997 the festival has been held at Bolków Castle and has grown into one of Europe’s major dark independent festivals.

Cities & Locations

Bolków is a small town in the Sudetes region, about an hour from Wrocław, dominated by a medieval castle that serves as the main stage for Castle Party. During the festival the whole town becomes part of the event, with shows at the castle and the Park Stage and additional parties in local clubs and venues.

Quick Facts

  • Founded1994
  • Typeplenerowy festiwal muzyki dark independent (gothic, dark wave, industrial, EBM, metal, post‑punk)
  • LocationBolków, PL

Genres

gothic rockgothic metaldark wavepost‑punkindustrialEBMsynthpopdark ambientfuturepop

Practical Info

Castle Party Festival 2026 will be held 16-19 July 2026 in Bolków, with the main stage at the castle and a Park Stage operating throughout all four days. Tickets include four‑day passes covering both stages (blind bird, Limited 1, Limited 2) and one‑day tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, plus a separate four‑day Park Stage pass. Four‑day passes range roughly from 135 to 159 euro across the different tiers, while one‑day tickets are around 76 euro and grant access to both stages on the selected day. Tickets can be purchased online and at the Park Stage box office from Thursday, with the organizers reserving the right to operate Park Stage entry in a rotating system if capacity is reached. The official Castle Party 2026 campsite in Bolków will be open from 12 to 20 July 2026, offering sanitary facilities for festivalgoers. Bolków can be reached by car (via the S3 road and local routes) and by buses or minibuses from Wrocław and other regional cities, during the festival the town effectively runs in full “festival mode” with a large influx of visitors.

Trivia

  • •Castle Party has been running continuously since 1994, making it one of Europe’s longest‑standing dark independent festivals.
  • •The event started at Grodziec Castle and moved to Bolków Castle in 1997, which has been its home ever since.
  • •The festival is famous for turning the entire town into a sea of black‑clad, gothic and alternative outfits, creating a unique “black town” atmosphere.
  • •Over the years it has hosted virtually all the key European gothic/dark wave acts, from Tiamat and Lacrimosa to Clan of Xymox and Diary of Dreams.
FanStage
Zamkowa 1, 59-420 Bolków