The Ludwigsburg Schlossfestspiele (Palace Festival) is the city's summer cultural highlight, running roughly from May into July with a programme of classical music, opera, dance, and theatre staged across the palace complex. Concerts in the Ordenssaal, opera in the Schlosstheater, outdoor performances in the gardens, and chamber music in the smaller halls combine to fill the palace with music for two months.
The programming is serious — international orchestras, well-known conductors, and a deliberate focus on baroque and classical repertoire that fits the venues — but ticket prices are reasonable by international festival standards. Many concerts sell out by spring; book ahead. For visitors who can't catch a paid concert, free outdoor events and open rehearsals are often added to the programme.