Name: Festival of the 1000 Dwarves — Hamburg Children's Athletics 2026
Start: 2026-09-26T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-09-27T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Jahnkampfbahn im Hamburger Stadtpark

Festival of the 1000 Dwarves

About Festival of the 1000 Dwarves

The Festival of the 1000 Dwarves, Germany's largest school athletics festival, takes place every late summer on the Jahnkampfbahn in Hamburg's Stadtpark. Around 1,000 young athletes from the U10 to U16 age groups compete in sprints, runs, jumps, and throws. It's the finale of the club season, organized by HSV Athletics. In 2026, the festival will be held on September 26th and 27th.

Dates 26 Sep — 27 Sep 2026

Venue Hamburg (02000)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Festival of the 1000 Dwarves — edition 2026

The Festival of the 1000 Dwarves 2026 will take place on September 26th and 27th on the Jahnkampfbahn in Hamburg's Stadtpark. It's the season finale for Hamburg's school athletics — around 1,000 athletes from U10 to U16 will compete in sprints, runs, jumps, and throws. Organizer: HSV Athletics. Free admission for spectators.

The 2026 edition runs on the last weekend of September, concluding Hamburg's school athletics competition season. The venue, as always, is the Jahnkampfbahn in Hamburg's Stadtpark — a facility with decades of proven success, featuring a 400-meter tartan track, jumping pits, and throwing areas.

The organizer is HSV-Leichtathletik, the athletics department of Hamburger SV. Registrations are handled via ladv.de, the official registration platform of the German Athletics Federation.

Highlights Festival of the 1000 Dwarves 2026

Its status as Germany's largest school athletics festival; the U10 Triathlon on Sunday; the family-friendly atmosphere in Stadtpark; the weekend serving as the season's conclusion.

Programme Festival of the 1000 Dwarves 2026

Saturday, September 26th, 2026 — First Competition Day

Morning — Competition opening, sprint races for the first age groups
Late Morning — High jump and long jump events
Midday — Middle-distance races (800 m, 1,500 m)
Afternoon — Throwing events (shot put, discus, javelin)
Late Afternoon — Relay races

Sunday, September 27th, 2026 — Second Competition Day

Morning — Hurdle races and further sprint races
Midday — Long-distance races (3,000 m)
Afternoon — U10 Triathlon as the highlight for the youngest
Late Afternoon — Award ceremonies and closing

Detailed program of disciplines and times, as well as registration information: leichtathletik.hsv.de/1000zwerge.

Prices Festival of the 1000 Dwarves 2026

Free admission for spectators. Entry fees for athletes: 5 Euros per individual event, 8 Euros for late registrations. Registrations via ladv.de.

Practical information

Practical information — Festival of the 1000 Dwarves

Getting there

Jahnkampfbahn in Stadtpark: U-Bahn (subway) lines U3 Borgweg or U1 Saarlandstraße, then a 10–15 minute walk into the park. Bus lines 6 or 179 to Stadtpark Nord. Cycling is highly recommended.

Admission

Free for spectators. Entry fees for athletes: 5–8 Euros per competition.

Tip

If you're cheering on family members, bring a folding chair and sun protection — the weekend can be long. Picnic blankets on the lawn next to the track are standard.

The Jahnkampfbahn — the heart of Hamburg's Stadtpark

Located in the Winterhude district (Hamburg-Nord borough), Hamburg's Stadtpark is one of Germany's largest urban parks, covering 148 hectares. At its center lies the Jahnkampfbahn, a traditional athletics facility with a 400-meter tartan track, jumping pits, and throwing areas. This is where the Festival of the 1000 Dwarves takes place every September.

Germany's largest children's athletics festival

With nearly 1,000 participants per event, the Festival of the 1000 Dwarves is the largest school athletics festival in Germany. The organizer is HSV-Leichtathletik — the athletics department of Hamburger Sport-Verein, one of the Hanseatic city's most traditional sports clubs.

Season finale for the youngest

The competition weekend is designed as the season finale: after a season full of federal, state, and club competitions, the young athletes gather on the Jahnkampfbahn for one last big summer festival. The atmosphere is familial — parents, grandparents, and siblings line the track.

Disciplines and age groups

The program includes the classic athletics disciplines, differentiated by age group:

Sprints: 30 m to 100 m (depending on age group)
Middle and long-distance: 800 m to 3,000 m
Hurdle races
Jumps: High jump, long jump, pole vault, triple jump
Throws: Shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, hammer throw
Relay races
U10 Triathlon: a three-part competition for the youngest

Age groups U10 to U16, as well as a few adult starters (14–15-year-olds in the highest school category).

Colorful supporting program

In addition to the competitions, there is a supporting program: warm-up exercises, mascot activities, small participation stations for siblings, snacks, and a café. This makes the weekend attractive for entire families — even those not competing have something to do.

Registration and entry fees

Registration is handled through the ladv.de platform, the official competition registration platform of German Athletics. Entry fees range from 5 Euros per individual event to 8 Euros for late registrations. Those competing in multiple disciplines pay accordingly.

Hamburg as an athletics city

Hamburg has a strong athletics tradition — in addition to HSV, there are clubs like LG Wedel-Pinneberg or TSV Stellingen. The Festival of the 1000 Dwarves is the annual showcase for this youth development work and a place where the Hamburg athletics family meets.