CityRiver en

City River Project

At the beginning of October 2019, the starting signal was given in Donauwörth for the pilot project „CityRiver,“ and at the end of August 2025, a public festival will be held to inaugurate the completed measures.

The project solves three problems with the Danube:

1) River experience for citizens: In urban areas, rivers are usually forced into a narrow riverbed with steep, artificial banks. CityRiver creates access for citizens to experience the Danube up close.

2) Ecology: The habitat for flora and fauna is improved through the design of the banks and riverbed, as well as the creation of bays.

3) Level stabilization: Until now, the Danube has been digging deeper and deeper into its riverbed. CityRiver stops further deepening through an innovative – invisible from the outside – design of the riverbed.

The project area in and along the Danube extends from the „Wildnis“ or the Donauspitz to the confluence (Zusammündung), i.e., between river kilometers 2510 and 2508.6.

The CityRiver project was funded by LIFE, an EU program for the environment, nature conservation, and climate policy, the largest environmental funding program. The total costs for the project amounted to around four million euros. The EU covered 55 percent of the eligible costs, approx. €1.44 million.

CityRiver Inauguration Festival

On August 30, 2025, and August 31, 2025, the results of the LIFE project CityRiver were ceremoniously presented to the citizens of Donauwörth. What a fantastic festival! Thank you to everyone who was there!

… AND THIS WAS THE INAUGURATION FESTIVAL:

Experience on the water: Danube boat tours & „Ulmer Schachtel“ – the Danube at your fingertips
History meets the present: Photo and traveling exhibitions show the CityRiver project in pictures
Adventure for kids: Creative workshop – hands-on activities are the order of the day!
Live music & enjoyment on the riverbank: Diverse gastronomy and atmospheric music
HIGHLIGHT: Special illumination of the entire harbor and fireworks

Saturday, August 30, 2025:
Start: 10:00 AM

10:00 AM: Opening with Lord Mayor Jürgen Sorré and Martin Glink, Managing Director of LEW Wasserkraft, accompanied by music from the Musikkapelle Wörnitzstein
From 10:00 AM: Great interactive art with the St. Johannes Foundation: a soap bubble workshop, raft building from natural materials, and painting with liquid chalk. Exciting photo exhibition on the CityRiver project and the comic exhibition „People at the River“ by comic author and illustrator Christian Schmiedbauer
From 10:00 AM: Food and drinks from Peter Alt, Mio Tagesbar, the Donauwörth Fire Department, and the St. Johannes Foundation
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM: Enchanting live music by Jutta Pollak, performing as a walking act
11:00 AM – approx. 4:00 PM: Danube boat tours by the Volunteer Fire Department and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW)
2:00 PM: Exciting performance by the freestylers of the Donauwörth Canoe Club
2:20 PM – 2:40 PM: Exciting stand-up paddle performance on the Danube
Approx. 3:00 PM: Arrival of the rowers from the German Rowing Association, accompanied by the Musikkapelle Wörnitzstein
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM: Live music by Chakulou from Freising
10:00 PM: Fireworks
Approx. 11:00 PM: End of the event

Sunday, August 31, 2025:
Start: 9:00 AM

9:00 AM: Ceremonial departure of the rowers with music from the Donauwörth Town Band
From 9:00 AM: „Frühschoppen“ (morning pint) with a hearty Weisswurst breakfast
Approx. 9:30 AM: Departure of the „Ulmer Schachtel“
Approx. 12:00 PM: End of the event