Darß-Festspiele Born

Theatre under the open sky on the Darß

The Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula has developed into one of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's most concentrated cultural hotspots over the past two decades: painters, writers, musicians, and theatre makers have discovered the region as a summer or permanent residence. With the Darß-Festspiele, Born a.Darß has established a format since 2003 that makes this cultural density visible: an open-air theatre with its own production that culturally shapes the island summer for several weeks each year.

What makes the Darß-Festspiele special

The festival differs from classic city theatres in three ways: It plays under the open sky on a specially constructed open-air stage, it produces a new play with a connection to Northern Germany every summer – often based on literary works from the region – and it builds the programme around the in-house production with Low German performances, guest performances from cabaret and comedy, and a children's programme. This makes a festival weekend more than just a theatre evening: it's a mini cultural season with its own programme logic.

The 2026 Production

For 2026, the festival team has staged »Die Heiden von Kummerow – Alles Müller, oder … wie?«. The basis is the classic by the Mecklenburg writer Ehm Welk from the 1930s – the story of a childhood in a Mecklenburg village, a mixture of picaresque novel and regional portrait. The premiere is scheduled for July 3rd, 2026, and performances run until August 28th, 2026. A performance lasts approximately 2.5 hours, including a 20-minute break.

The Supporting Programme

Parallel to the in-house production, there is a dense programme of guest performances featuring well-known names from cabaret and theatre. In 2026, the lineup includes: Uwe Steimle (»Nu! – Keen Getue, keen Gemache …«), the Leipziger Pfeffermühle (»Harakiri to go«), the performance quartet GlasBlasSing with »Happy Hour«, the songwriter Gerhard Schöne with a children's concert, and Der Tod with »Komm ins Urlaubsparadies – Best Of Sommer-Special 2026«. In addition, there are Low German performances of the in-house production and special family dates.

A Summer Resort with Added Value

Born a.Darß is an old seafaring village on the Saaler Bodden, with thatched and brick houses, an active art scene, and a quieter character than the more densely populated tourist areas of Wieck or Prerow. The festival turns an island holiday into a theatre holiday: on one festival evening, you see the play, and after the performance, you can go to the water or a restaurant by the harbour; the next day, you can explore the Darß forest or the Weststrand. Travel by train to Ribnitz-Damgarten, then by bus or car to the peninsula is easily possible; many guests also come directly by bicycle from neighbouring villages.