Blankenhagen Church Festival – Summer Festival for Church Restoration

An Old Village Church on the Edge of the Rostocker Heide

The Blankenhagen Village Church is one of those quiet North German treasures that you drive past on the B105 without knowing it. First documented on August 23, 1318, it is a typical Mecklenburg fieldstone church – simply built, with thick rubble stone walls, a flat roof, and a characteristic bell tower. The church belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Blankenhagen in the Mecklenburg deanery of the North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church and is part of a network with the sister churches in Dänschenburg and Gelbensande.

An Organ with a Hamburg Prehistory

A special attraction is hidden in the gallery: The organ of the village church was built in 1686/87 by the renowned organ builder Arp Schnitger for a Hamburg church. In 1851, the Blankenhagen parish acquired the instrument for 625 Reichsthaler and had it installed in the church by Heinrich Rasche. Since then, an original organ by the most important North German Baroque organ builder has stood in a small village on the edge of the Rostocker Heide – a story that the festival weekend will also tell.

Restoration and Summer Festival

In 2026, restoration work on the church building will be completed. The summer festival on June 20, 2026, is therefore more than a routine community festival – it marks the completion of a multi-year project that has brought the masonry, roof, and interior fittings back into good condition. Unlike the major restoration of 2002/03 (supported by the ZEIT Foundation, among others), this time it involves follow-up work, supported by the parish, the support association, and church funds.

What Happens on the Festival Day

• Festival Service in the renovated church – with musical accompaniment on the Schnitger organ
• Community Festival in the churchyard with music, fellowship, and catering by the parish
• Exhibition on Church History – panels and exhibits on the construction and restoration history, the history of the organ, and the history of the parish
• Coffee Gathering in the community hall – regional cakes, conversations between old and new parishioners
• Opportunity to visit the Schnitger organ with an explanation

Why a Visit is Worthwhile

Anyone who wants to experience North Germany off the beaten tourist paths will find an authentic piece of Mecklenburg in Blankenhagen: a small village, a rural environment, a remarkable historical building with a surprising musical history, and a community that cares for its landmark. In conjunction with a tour of the Rostocker Heide – one of the largest contiguous beech and oak forests in Northern Germany – the festival weekend is a good reason to travel to the region. Baltic Sea guests in Graal-Müritz or Warnemünde can reach Blankenhagen in a 20–25 minute drive.