Dorffest Chorin

Chorin — Monastery Village in Barnim

Chorin is located in the Barnim district, about 60 kilometers northeast of Berlin, nestled in the moraine landscape of the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve. World-famous is the former Cistercian monastery Chorin (founded 1273), one of the most important brick Gothic buildings in Northern Germany — and the stage for the Choriner Musiksommer, the renowned classical music festival. Those who come to Chorin in August usually know the monastery — the village festival, on the other hand, is the insider tip for authentic Brandenburg village life away from the tourist crowds.

Village and Club Festival — Tradition for Years

The Chorin village festival is celebrated annually on the first or second weekend of August. It is a typical Brandenburg club festival: the sports club, fire department, local history society, hunting cooperative, women's group, and church community jointly organize a two-day program. The festival extends over the village green and surrounding areas, without an official festival tent complex — instead, there are established stalls, beer stands, food vendors, play areas, and improvised stages. The atmosphere is familial, with visitors from the village, neighboring communities like Brodowin, Oderberg, and Britz, and some day-trippers from Berlin who want to experience the monastery village in its unvarnished form.

Program Structure — The Classics of a Village Festival

The event calendar of the Amt Britz-Chorin-Oderberg lists the village festival for August 7th-8th, 2026; the detailed hourly program is traditionally published by the local association a few weeks before the date and posted on the information board in the village. In previous years, the program typically included: Saturday afternoon start with a ceremonial keg tapping and welcome by the local mayor, sports competitions, children's program, live band or DJ in the evening, Sunday with morning pint, family service, and a relaxed conclusion. Admission to the festival is free.

Arrival and Stay

Chorin is easily accessible by RE 3 train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof (approx. 55 min, Chorin station in the village). Those arriving by car can park on the outskirts of the village. The region invites for long weekends: monastery visit, canoe trip on the Werbellinsee, hike in the biosphere reserve. The village festival is the ideal complement to a summer excursion to the Barnim region — a piece of real Brandenburg, away from the monastery backdrop.