Friedrichstadt Festival Days

Friedrichstadt: The Dutch Town

Friedrichstadt is a small town with around 2,500 inhabitants in the district of North Friesland in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, located about 17 km southwest of Husum. It was founded in 1621 by Duke Friedrich III of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf, who offered Dutch Remonstrants — a Protestant religious community fleeing persecution — a new home. The architecture, the cityscape, and the canal system impressively recall the Dutch origins to this day: typical gabled houses, narrow brick alleys, water canals, and bridges. Friedrichstadt has therefore been called the Dutch town for centuries.

The Festival Days as a Summer Highlight

The Friedrichstadt Festival Days are the town's social summer highlight. Over three days, the historic old town fills with stage programs, a festival tent, a children's mile, and food stalls. The market square becomes the main stage, and the festival tent — usually on the market square or a neighboring area — offers dancing and live music late into the night.

The Lantern Boat Parade: The Experience

The highlight is the lantern boat parade on Saturday evening. Residents and clubs decorate their boats with lanterns, fairy lights, lamps, and creative installations — from small canoes to larger Treene boats. As dusk falls, the illuminated boats glide through the canals of the old town, followed by fireworks over the Treene. Via QR code voting, you choose your favorite boat — voting runs from Saturday 9:30 PM to Sunday 3:00 AM. A unique event that makes Friedrichstadt one of North Friesland's most beautiful summer events every year.

Children's Mile and Family Program

For families, there is a separate children's mile on the town field with bouncy castles, face painting, craft stations, and interactive activities. During the day, the family program attracts thousands of parents and children from Friedrichstadt, Husum, Schleswig, and the entire west coast of Schleswig-Holstein.