ZDF‑Fernsehgarten marks 40‑year anniversary with Family Battle episode on 26 July 2026

The ZDF‑Fernsehgarten, Germany’s long‑running summer open‑air show, celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special "Family Battle" episode on Sunday 26 July 2026. Hosted by Andrea Kiewel, the two‑hour live broadcast began at 12:00 CET and featured three well‑known families competing in sport and games, including handball. The participants were: • Frauke Ludowig and her daughter Nele Ludowig • Patricia Kelly and her son Iggi Kelly • Stefanie Hertel and her daughter Johanna Mross Additional musical guests such as Amanda Marshall, Marie Reim, Linda Hesse and others appeared throughout the show. The episode was part of a broader July Schlager‑TV lineup that also included MDR’s "Wunderbares Schlagerland" and ProSieben specials. Later in the season, ZDF announced that the Fernsehgarten would be paused on 9 August 2026 to make way for the open‑air "Giovanni Zarrella Show", which will host artists like Vanessa Mai, Kerstin Ott and Semino Rossi. These events underline the Fernsehgarten’s role as a flagship summer entertainment format in Germany.