Diemelsee in Flammen – Heringhausen Holiday Festival

Lake Festival in the North Hessian Uplands

The Diemelsee is a reservoir in the north of Hesse, on the border with North Rhine-Westphalia. With its approximately 1.6 km² of water surface, nestled in the Uplands between Sauerland and Waldecker Land, it is one of the local recreation centres in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district. Heringhausen is located directly on the lake and is a holiday resort for families from the Ruhr area and Central Hesse in the summer.

Holiday Festival with Tradition

The holiday festival „Diemelsee in Flammen“ has been organised by the Festgemeinschaft Heringhausen e.V. since the early 2000s. The name refers to the spectacular finale: a fireworks display over the Diemelsee fired from the water. The festival is explicitly designed as a holiday festival – the target group is the summer guests at the lake, supplemented by day-trippers from the region.

Programme in Three Phases

The festival day is divided into three phases: Afternoon (from 2:00 PM) with children's festival, „Festmeile“ (festival mile) above the lido (giant slide, mechanical bull, bouncy castle, wheel of fortune), catering stands. Evening (from 8:00 PM) with a live performance by the dance band „Comeback“ in the large car park above the beach. Nightfall with the illuminated boat parade across the lake, burning torches on the shore, and the grand finale fireworks display over the water.

Diemelsee as a Festival Backdrop

The lakeside location, the high surrounding hills of the Uplands, and the forests around the lake make the fireworks display a particularly atmospheric visual experience – the glow of the pyrotechnics is reflected in the calm water surface, and the burning torches on the shore outline the contours of the lake.

Festgemeinschaft Heringhausen as Organiser

The festival is organised entirely by the Festgemeinschaft Heringhausen e.V. – an association that hosts several events on the Diemelsee throughout the year. Proceeds go towards local club activities, the maintenance of the lido, and community projects in the Diemelsee district.