Bovenden Thanksgiving and Heritage Festival

Bovenden's Traditional Thanksgiving Festival

The Bovenden Thanksgiving and Heritage Festival is one of the most traditional heritage and Thanksgiving festivals in the Southern Lower Saxony region. The venue is the festival grounds at the Anger in the municipality of Bovenden, a rural community northwest of Göttingen with around 14,000 inhabitants. The festival traditionally spans four days, taking place on the first weekend of October.

Lantern Parade on Friday Evening

The festivities kick off on Friday evening with the lantern parade, which is particularly aimed at families with children. Families parade through the streets of Bovenden to the festival grounds with homemade or purchased lanterns. Afterwards, the first festival evening begins in the marquee with live music and catering.

Children's Program and Band Performance on Saturday

On Saturday afternoon, the focus is on the children's program with bouncy castles, game stations, a carousel, and interactive activities. In the evening, the band Musikuss takes over the marquee stage, providing a lively atmosphere with their program of pop, Schlager, rock, and cover classics.

Grand Parade on Sunday

The highlight of the festival weekend is the grand parade on Sunday at 2 PM. Several dozen decorated floats, marching groups, brass bands, and club banners march through Bovenden. The floats are elaborately decorated by clubs, community groups, and initiatives during months of preparation, addressing new themes each year. The parade attracts thousands of spectators from the entire Göttingen district and is considered the emotional peak of the festival.

Oktoberfest Brunch on Monday

The festival concludes on Monday with the traditional Oktoberfest brunch featuring Bavarian specialties – Weißwurst, pretzels, Leberkäse, roast chicken, and draft beer. This brings the festival to a close in a convivial gathering.