Buchholzer Festtage

Community Festival with Huguenot Heritage

Französisch Buchholz has an unusual history: in 1685, the Edict of Potsdam allowed French Huguenots, expelled after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, to settle in Brandenburg-Prussia. A group settled in the then village of Buchholz and shaped the community — the "Französisch" before "Buchholz" is a reminder of this heritage. Today, since 2001, Französisch Buchholz has been part of the Berlin borough of Pankow and retains a suburban identity despite urban growth.

Kite Festival as a Tradition

The Buchholzer Festtage are the annual community festival of the district, organized by the Bürgerverein Französisch Buchholz e.V. The festival program includes a main stage concept with local live music, food and drink stalls, a market for local products — and traditionally a kite festival with a kite launching area. This makes the Buchholzer Festtage one of the few Berlin events that explicitly cultivate kite flying — a tradition that resonates particularly well in the windy north of Berlin.

• Where: Französisch Buchholz, 13127 Berlin
• District: Pankow, Französisch Buchholz district
• 2026: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
• Organizer: Bürgerverein Französisch Buchholz e.V.
• Special Feature: Kite festival (also known as Drachenfest Französisch Buchholz)
• Admission: free

Pankow as Berlin's Most Populous District

With over 415,000 inhabitants, Pankow is Berlin's largest district — from the hip Prenzlauer Berg and the green Niederschönhausen to the suburban Französisch Buchholz and Karow on the northern outskirts. Französisch Buchholz represents the rural, quiet side of the district and stands in stark contrast to the Prenzlauer Berg bohemian scene. The Buchholzer Festtage are one of the few district festivals that make this other side of Pankow visible.