30th Heimat- und Trachtenfest Dissen – 575 Years of Dissen

575 Years of Dissen – A Village Celebrates Itself

Dissen is one of the oldest Sorbian-Wendish villages in the Spree-Neiße district and is considered a model location for Wendish culture in Lower Lusatia. In 2026, the stork and museum village will celebrate its 575th anniversary – and combine it with the 30th edition of its Heimat- und Trachtenfest. From August 23rd to 25th, the entire village will become a festival stage.

Opening with the State Parliament President

On Friday, August 23rd, State Parliament President Dr. Ulrike Liedtke will open the festival. The Lausitzer Braunkohle Orchestra will provide musical accompaniment for the ceremony. Afterwards, the farmhouses will open to visitors and the market activities will begin.

Saturday – Farmers' and Harvest Day

Saturday is dedicated to agriculture "as it was in Grandma's time." Potatoes will be harvested with hoes on the farms, grain threshed with flails, and potato pancakes baked. Farmhouses will open to visitors: alpaca farms, a US car collection, a bat protection project, Sorbian embroidery, fishing and hunting demonstrations. A diverse stage program will run on the main and nature stages. There will be family games and craft activities in the rectory courtyard.

Sunday – Festival Parade and Hahnrupfen

The highlight on Sunday: at 2 PM, the grand festival parade will begin. Decorated wagons, costume groups, riders, and floats will move through the village. Afterwards, the traditional Hahnrupfen (rooster-pulling) by the youth of Dissen will take place – a Lower Lusatian folk custom where a dead rooster is plucked from a pole as a symbol. The nature stage will present Sorbian-Wendish culture: the dance group Drjewjanki, the ensemble Serbka reja, the poet Pittkunings, and the choir Pśezpolni.

Lower Lusatian Identity

The Heimat- und Trachtenfest Dissen is more than a folk festival. It is a self-affirmation of the Sorbian-Wendish heritage in Lower Lusatia, a region in southern Brandenburg where two languages, two cultures, and two histories live side by side. The costumes of the Spreewald Sorbs are one of the most vibrant symbols of this identity. In Dissen, they are not just displayed but worn – by grandmothers, mothers, and daughters.

Free Admission

As with many rural state festivals in Brandenburg, admission is free. The festival is funded by donations, regional gastronomy at the farmhouses, and the participation of the villagers. A date for everyone who wants to get to know the state of Brandenburg beyond the usual tourist routes.