Flensburger Rum Regatta

A Homage to Flensburg's Rum History

The Rum Regatta has been organized by Museumshafen Flensburg e.V. since 1980 and is now Europe's most important gathering of historic gaff-rigged sailing ships. The name refers to Flensburg's history as a significant trading post for Caribbean rum, which arrived from the 18th century onwards on wooden cargo sailing ships via the fjord to the Schleswig-Holstein coast, and which to this day has given the Hanseatic city in the far north of the state of Schleswig-Holstein its nickname.

Three Regattas, One Harbour

The focus is on the main regatta on Saturday, when dozens of traditional sailing ships fill the Flensburg inner fjord. In the run-up, the Herring Regatta Kappeln–Sønderborg on Friday and the Flensburg Fjord Regatta Sønderborg–Flensburg on Saturday morning lead the fleet to the finish line. Those who stay in the Museum Harbour experience the arrival of the ships as a rare sight: schooners and cutters under full sail, framed by Flensburg's gabled warehouses.

Harbour Festival and Crew Evening

On land, a lively harbour festival complements the regatta: stalls with North German specialities — smoked fish, shrimp rolls, Flensburger Pilsener — stands of sailing tradition associations, music stages, and a traditional skipper and crew evening on Saturday. During the regatta, the Flensburg Museum Harbour, one of the largest museum collections of historic cargo sailing ships in the Baltic Sea region, opens its ships for visits.

A Stage for Wooden Ship Culture

The Rum Regatta is a must-attend event for owners of historic wooden ships from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Poland. It also serves as a forum for shipyards, riggers, and boat builders who keep the maritime heritage of the fjord alive. In the state of Schleswig-Holstein, the event is considered a cultural flagship of the city of Flensburg and attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the Museum Harbour every year.