Summer time is outdoor time. And like every year, Germany will put on a magnitude of events for both locals and visitors to enjoy amidst the sunshine. Here is a sample of some well-known and some lesser known events in Germany. Above: Hanse Sail in Rockstock.
Sails Galore In Kiel And Rostock
Dates: June 23-30; August 8-11, 2013
Websites: kieler-woche.de; hansesail.com
As every year, sails will be set at the end of June in the city of Kiel at what is known as “Kieler Woche”, the largest sailing event in the world and one of the top events in Germany. Kiel Week usually gathers around 5,000 sailors, 2,000 ships, and about three million visitors each year. While the event started out as a ship racing championship, it has long since become one of Germany’s largest festivals with many popular bands playing on public stages. For 2013, the nine-day program from June 22-30, consists of over 2,000 activities including sailing events and 400 races on eleven courses. A somewhat smaller version of the Kiel Week is the annual Hanse Sail in Rostock. Held during the second week in August (8-11, 2013) it attracts about 250 traditional sailing ships from a vast variety of countries.
Night Of The Palaces In Potsdam
Date: August 17, 2013
Website: schloessernacht-2010.de/home_en.html
Baroque splendour in a romantic setting: on August 17, 2013 the world of the 18th century Prussian kings will be brought back to life in the palaces and parks of Potsdam. Now in its 15th year, the Night of the Palaces offers a program of concerts, theater, dance and literature at Potsdam’s UNESCO World Heritage palaces and parks. Between the orangery, New Palace and Roman baths, the 33,000 visitors can marvel at all the costumes and masks from bygone times, as more than 400 actors and performers bring to life the lavish world of the 18th century in Brandenburg. The historical venues host numerous music highlights including a performance by acclaimed soul singer Jocelyn B. Smith. To conclude the evening, a spectacular firework display lights up the sky above the New Palace.
Duhnen Mudflat Races Near Cuxhaven
Date: August 18, 2013
Website: duhner-wattrennen.de
On August 18, 2013 over 150 horses and jockeys will be battling it out for victory at the 111th Duhnen Mudflat Races. A total of twelve horse and trotter races are held on a 1.2-kilometer (0.7-mile) course on the mudflats exposed by the tides of the Wadden Sea. The dyke near Cuxhaven serves as a grandstand for around 30,000 spectators. There is also a great atmosphere away from the races with music and entertainment while skydivers and stunt pilots entertain visitors from the skies. The Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park, a stunning backdrop for the event, is a habitat for many species of plants and animals. These include seals and porpoises that visitors can spot during a boat trip or on a walk across the mudflats.
Vintage Volkswagen Show In The Weserbergland Hills
Dates: June 21-23, 2013
Website: uraltkaefer.de
The VW Beetle has been a common sight on Germany’s roads and autobahns for decades. It is now making a welcome return for the 6th international Vintage Volkswagen Show. From June 21 -23, 2013 over 40,000 fans of this iconic car will be meeting in Hessisch Oldendorf in the Weserbergland hills to admire original and often unusual models of the much-loved Beetle. Other VW legends will also be represented at the event, such as the VW camper van and the Karmann Ghia type 34 sports car from the 1960s. The show, which takes place every four years, has already received registrations for more than 800 classic cars. Even enthusiasts from New Zealand will be presenting their prized VWs at the event. The Lower Saxony town with its pretty half-timbered houses is also hosting a ‘schwimmwagen tour’ in the river Weser featuring Volkswagen’s amphibious off-roaders.
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
