Herbstfest Volkspark Potsdam — Pumpkin Festival

Autumn and Pumpkins in the Volkspark

When the leaves in Volkspark Potsdam glow red and gold on October 18, 2026, one of the city's most popular family festivals begins: the Herbstfest with its famous pumpkin carving. From 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM, the Großer Wiesenpark transforms into a mix of farmers' market, children's park, and stage festival — with a focus that makes the date unique: around 300 orange pumpkins, provided for visitors to carve pumpkin faces to their heart's content and illuminate them with candles in the twilight.

Mushroom Exhibition and Craft Workshop

Alongside this — and this is rather rare in Brandenburg — a mushroom exhibition informs about the diversity of local fungi. Expert mushroom consultants show edible and poisonous species, give tips on foraging, and answer questions. Anyone who wants to go mushroom hunting themselves in the coming weeks will get a free learning session here. In the craft workshop, hobby horses are created, which are then tested on a hobby-horsing course — a creative variant of the trend sport.

Stage Program and Family Theater

On the main stage, live music (pop choir, singer-songwriter, children's songwriter) and family theater (clown theater, fairy tale performances) alternate. The program is explicitly aimed at children aged 4 and up, without becoming boring for parents — the mix of rousing music for dancing and singing along, as well as cheerful theater, is the hallmark of the Herbstfest.

Stick Bread, Straw Bales, Autumn Rally

Classic autumn activities round off the program: stick bread by the open campfire (flour, water, yeast — the mixture is ready, children wrap it around a stick themselves and bake it in the fire), romping in the large straw pile (a mini-adventure for the little ones), skill courses, and an autumn rally through the entire park, where children solve tasks and receive a small reward at the end. Several food trucks offer bratwurst, pumpkin soup, crêpes, and vegetarian options — catering at a high level.

Volkspark Potsdam — Largest Park in the North

Volkspark Potsdam, located in the Bornstedt district in the north of Potsdam, is the largest contiguous park in the city with an area of almost 70 hectares. Created in 2001 for the State Garden Show, it is now one of the most important recreational areas in the region. The Großer Wiesenpark — the main event area — offers space for thousands of visitors without the grounds feeling overcrowded. Direct access via tram lines 92 and 96.