Heider Marktstrand

A Beach Bar in the District Capital

The Heider Marktplatz, with an area of approximately 5 hectares, is the largest undeveloped market square in Germany. In summer, a part of this area is converted into a beach bar — colorful deck chairs, white sand, a cocktail bar, a stage, beach volleyball courts. The concept of the Heider Marktstrand is simple: if Heide isn't located directly by the sea, then bring the beach feeling to the city center.

The Format Runs All Summer Long

Unlike a weekend festival, the Marktstrand is a permanent format: from June 1 to September 6, 2026, the bar is open — almost a full quarter. The opening hours are:

• Monday to Thursday — 4 PM to 10 PM
• Friday — 2 PM to 11 PM
• Saturday — 10 AM to 11 PM
• Sunday — 11 AM to 10 PM

This makes the Marktstrand more than just an event: it's more of a seasonal public living room. Anyone wanting a spontaneous coffee during their lunch break can stop by. Those starting the evening with friends meet at the cocktail bar. Families out with children on the weekend can sit in the sand.

Stadtwerke-Heide-Cup — The City-Wide Beach Volleyball Tournament

The sporting heart is the Stadtwerke-Heide-Cup, a multi-stage beach volleyball tournament held on the courts of the Marktstrand throughout the summer. Heide clubs, company teams, ambitious hobby players, and professionals compete against each other. The tournament is open, but has a core group of participants who return year after year — and it's the talk of the town in Dithmarschen.

Themed Evenings and Live Music

Throughout the summer, there are themed evenings: Ladies' nights, student nights, regional bands, DJs, quiz nights, occasional open-air cinema on the big screen. The program is based on an urban living room concept — a mix of sociability, sports, and entertainment, with a shift between quiet family Sundays and lively weekend evenings.

Heide and the Dithmarschen District

Heide is the district capital of Dithmarschen and the center of the northern half of the region between the Eider and Elbe rivers. While Dithmarschen's coast — Büsum, Friedrichskoog — is the tourist focus, Heide is a functional city with Germany's largest market square. The Marktstrand is an attempt to give this central area a contemporary use in the summer — and it's clearly working.