folkBALTICA Opening Concert Husum

Opening Concert of the folkBALTICA Festival 2026

The folkBALTICA Festival is one of Germany's most important folk festivals and has been firmly anchored in the German-Danish border region since 2005. It is organized by the association folkBALTICA e.V., which hosts the festival every spring in Schleswig-Holstein and the Danish Sønderjylland. The opening concert on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at 6:30 PM, at the Messe Husum & Congress traditionally marks the festival's kickoff.

Husum — Storm City and Gateway to the Wadden Sea

Husum is the district capital of Nordfriesland in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The "grey city by the sea" — as Theodor Storm called it in his famous poem — is located directly on the Wadden Sea and is the gateway to the North Frisian islands of Amrum, Föhr, and Sylt. Messe Husum & Congress is the largest event center in Nordfriesland and can accommodate several hundred concert guests — the ideal setting for a festive festival opening.

Artists in the Opening Concert

Performing on stage on May 3, 2026:

• folkBALTICA Ensemble — The festival's resident ensemble, which is newly formed each year and brings together musicians from the entire Baltic Sea region.
• Stundom — Guest ensemble for the 2026 opening concerts.
• Choir of the Theodor-Storm-Schule Husum — Local connection with the school choir from Husum.

Theme 2026: "Horizons"

The 2026 festival theme is "Horizons" — an allusion to the wide view over the Wadden Sea as well as to building bridges between the folk traditions of the Baltic Sea region (Scandinavia, Baltics, Poland, Northern Germany). The theme is particularly highlighted in two central concerts: the opening concert in Husum and the major concert "Voices of the Baltic Sea" with the Baltic Sisters on May 8 in the St. Jürgen Church in Flensburg.

Embedded in the Entire Festival

From May 2 to 10, 2026, the folkBALTICA Festival will feature a total of 28 concerts at 24 venues — from Flensburg, Schleswig, Husum, Tønder (DK), Sønderborg (DK), to concerts on the Halligen islands and in Danish churches. Husum has been one of the regular venues for years.