Name: Hiddensee Herring Festival 2026
Start: 2026-04-04T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-04-04T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Hafen Vitte

Herring Festival Hiddensee

About Herring Festival Hiddensee

The Hiddensee Herring Festival celebrates the "silver of the Baltic Sea" at Vitte harbour. Freshly caught herring comes directly from the cutter and is prepared by local fishermen – smoked, fried, marinated, or as a salad. It's accompanied by encounters with sea rescuers, a knot-tying school for children, and a maritime supporting programme. The festival on the car-free island of Hiddensee in the Vorpommern-Rügen district is part of the Rügen Herring Weeks and is accessible with free admission.

Dates 04 Apr — 04 Apr 2026

Venue Vitte (13073)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Herring Festival Hiddensee — edition 2026

The Hiddensee Herring Festival 2026 takes place on April 4 from 11 AM to 6 PM at Vitte harbour. Freshly caught herring, a maritime supporting programme, and family activities make the festival the season opener – with free admission.

On April 4, 2026, the Hiddensee Herring Festival invites visitors from 11 AM to 6 PM to Vitte harbour. Local fishermen prepare freshly caught herring directly from the cutter – smoked, fried, marinated, or as a salad.

The maritime supporting programme includes encounters with sea rescuers and a tour of the rescue boat, a knot-tying school for children, barbecue stands, fish burgers, and a bouncy castle. The festival is part of the Rügen Herring Weeks, which run from March 30 to April 19, 2026. Admission is free.

Highlights Herring Festival Hiddensee 2026

The Herring Festival is part of the Rügen Herring Weeks (March 30 to April 19, 2026) and combines coastal cuisine with maritime traditions.

Programme Herring Festival Hiddensee 2026

Freshly caught herring from the cutter, prepared by local fishermen
Encounter with sea rescuers, tour of the rescue boat
Knot-tying school for children
Barbecue stands, fish burgers, and bouncy castle

Prices Herring Festival Hiddensee 2026

Admission is free. Food and drinks are available for purchase on-site.

Practical information

Practical information — Herring Festival Hiddensee

Getting There

Hiddensee is car-free and only accessible by ferry, primarily from Schaprode on Rügen and from Stralsund. The festival takes place directly on the harbour premises from Vitte harbour.

Admission

Admission to the Hiddensee Herring Festival is free.

Contact

Municipality of Seebad Insel Hiddensee, [email protected], Phone +49 38300 608685.

The Silver of the Baltic Sea at Vitte Harbour

The Hiddensee Herring Festival takes place at Vitte harbour on the car-free Baltic Sea island of Hiddensee, which belongs to the Vorpommern-Rügen district. The focus is on herring, traditionally referred to as the "silver of the Baltic Sea" – a fish that has shaped the lives of coastal inhabitants for centuries.

Freshly Caught from the Cutter

Freshly caught herring comes directly from the cutter at the festival and is prepared on-site by local fishermen: smoked, fried, marinated, or as a salad. This allows visitors to taste the fish in numerous variations – culinarily close to its origin and to the traditional coastal cuisine of Vorpommern.

Maritime Supporting Programme

In addition to the culinary offerings, the Herring Festival features a maritime supporting programme. The sea rescuers are present, and their rescue boat can be viewed. For children, there's a knot-tying school, along with barbecue stands, fish burgers, and a bouncy castle. This makes the festival an experience for the whole family.

Part of the Rügen Herring Weeks

The Hiddensee Herring Festival is part of the Rügen Herring Weeks, with which the Rügen and Hiddensee region celebrates the start of the season revolving around herring. The festival is organised by the municipality of Seebad Insel Hiddensee. Admission is free.