Dümmer Matjesfest Damme
Annual Matjes festival with smoked fish, music, and open smokehouse at Dümmer See, Dümmerlohausen district
About Dümmer Matjesfest
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Smoking Tradition at Dümmer See
The Dümmer See, with its 13.5 square kilometers, is the second-largest lake in Lower Saxony and has been an important freshwater fishing ground for centuries. Eel and trout, in particular, were traditionally caught here and processed in local smokehouses. The Hoffmann Eel and Trout Smokehouse in the Damme district of Dümmerlohausen preserves this tradition to this day and has also established itself as an excursion destination with its annual Matjesfest.
Matjes as a Seasonal Product
Matjes is a special preparation of young herring, caught before its first spawning and matured in a salt-ripening brine to develop its characteristic soft, mild herring specialty. The Matjes season is traditionally in early summer – hence the festival's typical date in June. Fresh Matjes on rye bread, with onions and pickles, is the culinary centerpiece of the day.
Open Smokehouse
A special feature of the festival is the open smokehouse. Visitors can experience the smoking process up close: smoked fish over beechwood and alderwood, traditional smoking chambers, and the processing of eel and trout. This transparency makes the festival an authentic insight into a dying food craft.
Music and Children's Entertainment
The festival is designed as a family outing. Live music with a North German repertoire – sea shanties, folk, pop, and traditional music – creates a lively atmosphere. Bouncy castles, face painting, and small interactive stations entertain the youngest guests. Food and drinks, including beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and cake, complete the offering.
Dümmer Matjesfest — edition 2026
The exact date for 2026 and the detailed program with times for each event will be published by the organizer, Hoffmann Eel and Trout Smokehouse, in spring 2026 on damme.de and dammer-berge.de.
Programme Dümmer Matjesfest 2026
Classic Schedule of the Matjesfest
The exact program for 2026 will be published by the organizer in spring. The structure follows the proven highlights of previous years:
- Morning: Festival grounds open, market starts, sale of fresh Matjes, smoked fish, and culinary specialties
- Lunch: Main dining time with Matjes sandwiches, smoked trout, smoked eel, served with sides like potato salad and farmer's bread
- Afternoon: Live music with sea shanties, folk, pop, and traditional music, children's entertainment with bouncy castles and face painting, tours of the open smokehouse with explanations of the smoking process
- Late Afternoon/Evening: Relaxed conclusion with beer, wine, and musical accompaniment
Culinary Offerings
- Fresh Matjes on rye bread with onions and pickles
- Smoked trout and smoked eel from our own smokehouse
- Potato salad, farmer's bread, homemade sauces
- Beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and cake
Highlights Dümmer Matjesfest 2026
Prices Dümmer Matjesfest 2026
Practical information — Dümmer Matjesfest
Location
Hoffmann Eel and Trout Smokehouse, Dümmerstraße 39, 49401 Damme-Dümmerlohausen (Vechta District, Lower Saxony).
Date 2026
June 2026 — exact date to be published by the organizer in spring. In previous years, typically mid-June (2025: June 15th).
Admission
Free admission. Smoked fish, food, and drinks charged at vendor prices.
Organizer
Hoffmann Eel and Trout Smokehouse. Current information at damme.de and dammer-berge.de.
Getting There
By car via the B214 to Damme and then to Dümmerlohausen on the west bank of the Dümmer See. Parking available at the festival grounds. Follow signs for Dümmer See.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Dümmer Matjesfest al mejor precio.
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