Events in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on the weekend of 7 and 8 November 2026 run from Schwerin to Rügen. In Schwerin, the Martensmarkt celebrates a tradition more than 700 years old for three days.
The Martensmarkt, a medieval festival around the Lübeck Martensmann, runs on the market square in Schwerin. It takes place on Saturday, 7 November 2026, and on Sunday. Events in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on the weekend of 7 and 8 November 2026 run from Schwerin to Rügen. In Schwerin, the Martensmarkt celebrates a tradition more than 700 years old for three days.
The Martensmarkt in Schwerin
The Schwerin Martensmarkt recalls a custom between the Dukes of Mecklenburg and the Hanseatic city of Lübeck. The Lübeck “Martensmann” once made the arduous journey to Schwerin to bring the duke a barrel of wine as a symbolic gift. The gesture secured friendly trading relations between the two cities.
In 1817 the tradition broke off. Only in 1991, after reunification, was it revived.
The programme mixes custom and fair: a lantern parade through the historic old town, the ritual dialogue between the Martensmann and the city president, a medieval market with craftspeople, traders and historic stalls, plus street music, jugglers and cabaret in the lanes. The dialogue is the dramatic core of the festival, a humorously staged exchange.
On Saturday, 7 November 2026, and on Sunday the market takes place in the old town of the state capital. Admission is free.
From the main station it is about 15 minutes on foot, and regional express trains link Schwerin with Hamburg, Rostock, Berlin and Lübeck.
A fair, a tribute concert and a night walk
The Parchim Martinimarkt goes back to 1370, when merchants in Parchim offered their wares. Today rides, showmen and snack stands with roasted almonds, bratwurst, crêpes and mulled wine fill the fairground on Bergstraße, which measures about 19,000 square metres. On Saturday, 7.11.26, it is open from 2 pm to midnight, on Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm. Entry to the grounds is free, and costs arise only for rides and food. In 2026 Parchim marks its 800th anniversary as a town.
At the Konzertkirche in Neubrandenburg, the Italian tribute band The Watch plays early Genesis albums such as “Trespass”, “Nursery Cryme” and “Foxtrot” on Saturday, as part of the Festival der Künste. Tickets are available in advance.
In Rostock, Saturday is the last day of the Rostock Light Week run by the Stadtwerke, with light installations and projections between the Steintor and the Kröpeliner Tor. A benefit concert closes the week, with proceeds going to local associations.
On Rügen, the Königsstuhl National Park Centre opens on Saturday for the Mystery Night in Jasmund National Park. Families go on a night walk through the beech forest and follow a rally through the darkened exhibition. Registering with the centre is usually recommended.
The Zeltkino Hiddensee at the harbour in Vitte is the only cinema on the car-free island. The season runs until 8 November, with at least two films every day.
The Kunstmuseum Ahrenshoop is open in November from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, on Saturday as on Sunday. It shows changing exhibitions on the Ahrenshoop artists’ colony and on classical modernism. Adults pay 10 euros, children 4 euros, and children under 6 get in free.