Erntedankfest Kirchwerder

Northern Germany's Largest Harvest Festival

In the Kirchwerder district of Hamburg, located in the Vier- und Marschlande region southeast of the Hanseatic city, a harvest festival tradition thrives like no other. For centuries, the region between Bergedorf and Geesthacht has been Northern Europe's largest contiguous area for growing flowers and vegetables. When the farms of the Vierländer and Marschländer bring in their harvest in October, they celebrate with Northern Germany's largest harvest festival.

The Parade – Sunday's Highlight

Over 70,000 people line the parade route every year. Starting at 1:30 PM, the procession sets off from St. Severini Church, heading along the Alte Elbdeich towards Zollenspieker, then over to the Sülzbrack festival grounds. The 4.5-kilometer route features over 50 floats elaborately decorated with flowers, grain, and vegetables, around 100 riders, traditional costume groups in original Vierländer costumes, music bands, and the newly elected Harvest Queen at the front. Before the parade, a traditional harvest thanksgiving service is held in the church at 10:30 AM.

Three Days of Events

• Friday: Opening of the festival grounds at Sülzbrack with amusement rides and food stalls
• Saturday: Schlager Night – Open-air concert with artists from Germany, Hesse, and the Netherlands
• Sunday: Harvest Thanksgiving Service (10:30 AM), Grand Parade (1:30 PM), Harvest Celebration at Sülzbrack

A Community Event for the Entire Region

The harvest festival is organized by the Förderverein Erntedankfest e.V. (Friends of the Harvest Festival Association) together with the Gemeinschaft Vier- und Marschlande e.V. (Community of Vier- und Marschlande). Over 60 regional clubs, volunteer fire departments, and hundreds of volunteers from the districts of Kirchwerder, Neuengamme, Altengamme, Curslack, and Allermöhe work for weeks on the setup and the floats. Symbolically, the festival connects the agricultural identity of the Vier- und Marschlande with the modern Hanseatic city of Hamburg – tradition meets the metropolis.

Getting to the Marschlande

The Sülzbrack festival grounds are accessible by bus via Bergedorf, and by car via the A25 (Bergedorf exit) and the Vierländer Hauptstraße. Due to the large crowds on Sunday, organizers recommend arriving by bus. Admission to the parade is free.