63rd Rogätz Blossom Festival

The Rogätz Blossom Festival — Tradition since 1964

Rogätz is located on the right bank of the Elbe in the Börde district, where the Elbe makes a large bend to the north. Since 1964, residents have celebrated the Blossom Festival (Blütenfest) here at the beginning of spring — the 63rd edition in 2026 marks remarkable continuity. The organizer is the association Heimat- und Kulturfreunde Rogätz e.V., which fills the entire May weekend with a program crafted with attention to detail.

The Fruit Crate Race — Highlight on May 1st

The hallmark of the Blossom Festival is the fruit crate race on May 1st. Teams from the village and surrounding areas build imaginative vehicles from old fruit crates and send them down a race track — a mix of soapbox derby and creative competition. It's less about speed and more about originality. Alongside this, the Maypole (Maimast) is erected, an over twenty-meter-high decorated tree that stands on the festival grounds throughout the weekend.

The Klutturm and the Tintenfass

A special feature is the Klutturm, Rogätz's historic observation tower, which is open during the festival weekend. From the top, you can gaze over the Elbe meadows towards the Letzlinger Heide. In the Tintenfass, an old farmstead with a café, homemade cake and coffee are served on May 9th (Saturday) — an institution of the association. The Planck exhibition in the community center is also open (physicist Max Planck spent summers of his childhood here).

More Than Just a Village Festival

In the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the Börde district, the Rogätz Blossom Festival is one of the longest continuously celebrated local festivals — a piece of living GDR and post-reunification history. The Rogätz Local Friends have nurtured this format for over six decades, adapting it to the spirit of the times. Family-friendly, with free admission, and an honestly grown atmosphere.