Press releases

Aachen is getting ready for long evenings and a festive Christmas season: The city of Aachen is launching the “Guten Abend, Aachen” fund.

Since 2023, the fund has been supporting creative ideas and events in the city. Whether it’s a concert at a restaurant or an eyewear store, a theater show in a retail space or on the street, readings, comedy, outdoor music, or a street festival—the fund creates space for new formats and unusual event ideas.

The goal of this new initiative is to ensure that the downtown area remains attractive and vibrant, especially during the fall and winter months and into the evening hours. Funding will be provided for events and activities that attract additional visitors to the downtown area and reinforce its status as a destination for experiences.

New: Christmas Edition for More Sparkling Lights During the Holiday Season “With
‘Guten Abend, Aachen,’ we want to provide simple support for great ideas that turn our downtown into a place to experience even in the evening hours. With this year’s new Christmas edition, we’re taking it a step further: For many people, a festively lit city center is an integral part of the Christmas season in Aachen. We want to help ensure that this special atmosphere remains something people can experience in the future. After all, financing Christmas lights is becoming an increasing challenge for retailers and restaurants alone,” says Kai Hennes, head of the City Management Department for the City of Aachen.

Through the “Good Evening, Aachen – Christmas Edition” initiative, the City of Aachen specifically supports attractive lighting concepts in the downtown shopping streets and Aachen’s neighborhood centers. Festively lit shopping streets, Christmas markets, and the special atmosphere make the city an attractive destination for visitors from across the region and around the world.

With this new Christmas edition, the city therefore aims to support joint efforts to create vibrant and attractive shopping districts. Despite the tight budget situation, the city of Aachen is sending a clear signal in support of a vibrant and sustainable downtown by reopening the fund and providing funding for Christmas lighting.

Applications are now being accepted
. Up to 2,500 euros can be requested per event or campaign. If at least three institutions form a consortium, grants of up to 5,000 euros are available. Specifically, advertising associations, street associations, and interest groups, as well as consortia of at least three businesses from the retail, restaurant, and skilled trades sectors, are eligible to apply for funding for Christmas lighting.

Applications for “Guten Abend, Aachen” can be submitted starting now and will be accepted until November 30, 2026. For applications regarding Christmas lighting as part of the Christmas Edition, a shorter deadline applies: October 30, 2026.

Further information

https://serviceportal.aachen.de, under “Good Evening, Aachen”