Name: Lauenburg Fish Mile & Old Town Flea Market 2026
Start: 2026-05-31T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-05-31T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Altstadt Lauenburg (Lösch- und Ladeplatz, Ruferplatz)

Fischmeile Lauenburg

About Fischmeile Lauenburg

The Lauenburger Fischmeile is the maritime season opening celebration of the historic Elbe Old Town and has been one of the most charming early summer events in the district of Herzogtum Lauenburg for years. On a Monday in May, the riverside area between Lösch- und Ladeplatz and Ruferplatz becomes a fish mile: fresh smoked fish, beer-battered fish from Büsum, fish rolls, and rosemary potatoes, accompanied by shanty choirs, the parallel Old Town flea market, and Elbe river trips on the 125-year-old paddle steamer „Kaiser Wilhelm“.

Dates 31 May — 31 May 2026

Venue Lauenburg/Elbe (01053)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Fischmeile Lauenburg — edition 2026

Tickets →

The 19th Lauenburg Fish Mile will take place on Sunday, May 31, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the historic old town. In parallel, the 7th Old Town Flea Market (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.), three Elbe river trips on the century steamer „Kaiser Wilhelm“, and the Open House at Künstlerhaus Lauenburg will be held. Admission free.

Fish Mile 2026 — 19th Edition

On May 31, 2026, the Lauenburger Fischmeile will open its stalls between Lösch- und Ladeplatz and Ruferplatz from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The organizer is Touristik Lauenburg/Elbe in cooperation with the old town merchants, the museum harbour, and the Künstlerhaus.

The 2026 program includes fresh smoked specialties, beer-battered fish from Büsum, fish rolls, and rosemary potatoes — plus live maritime music with the duo Lui & Fiete and the shanty choir Die Kielschweine. The restaurant ship BS LAUENBURG is docked at Ruferplatz, and the 125-year-old paddle steamer Kaiser Wilhelm will sail on the Elbe at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.

Highlights Fischmeile Lauenburg 2026

19th edition of the Lauenburg Fish Mile
Maritime season opening in the Elbe Old Town
Parallel: 7th Old Town Flea Market (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
Three Elbe river trips on the 125-year-old paddle steamer „Kaiser Wilhelm“
Open House at Künstlerhaus Lauenburg
Shanty Choir Die Kielschweine + Duo Lui & Fiete
Free admission

Programme Fischmeile Lauenburg 2026

Program May 31, 2026

Morning

8:00 a.m. — Start of the 7th Lauenburg Old Town Flea Market (Church, Ruferplatz, Neustadt)
11:00 a.m. — Opening of the Fish Mile (Stalls until 5 p.m.)
11:00 a.m. — 1st Elbe trip with paddle steamer Kaiser Wilhelm from Ruferplatz

Afternoon

1:00 p.m. — 2nd Elbe trip paddle steamer Kaiser Wilhelm
Throughout the day — Open House at Künstlerhaus Lauenburg
Throughout the day — Live Music: Lui & Fiete (Water Songs), Shanty Choir Die Kielschweine
3:00 p.m. — 3rd Elbe trip paddle steamer Kaiser Wilhelm
4:00 p.m. — End of Old Town Flea Market
5:00 p.m. — End of Fish Mile

Culinary Delights (continuously 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Smoked fish from the smokehouse
Beer-battered fish (Büsum crab fisherman)
Fish rolls, rosemary potatoes
North Sea specialties and regional drinks

Prices Fischmeile Lauenburg 2026

Admission to the Fish Mile and the Old Town Flea Market: free. Elbe river trips on the paddle steamer Kaiser Wilhelm: ticket required, tickets from Touristik Lauenburg.

Practical information

Practical information — Fischmeile Lauenburg

Getting There

Lauenburg/Elbe is accessible by car via the A24 (exit Talkau, then L195) and by train via Lauenburg station (regional connection Hamburg–Büchen). A 10-minute walk from the station to the old town.

Admission & Boat Trips

Admission to the Fischmeile and the Old Town Flea Market: free. Elbe river trips on the paddle steamer „Kaiser Wilhelm“ at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. from Ruferplatz — tickets from Touristik Lauenburg (Tel: +49 4153 5909220).

Parking

Parking spaces outside the old town (station, Schlossberg) — the old town itself is traffic-calmed on the day of the festival.

Season Opening on the Elbe

Lauenburg/Elbe is the southernmost town in Schleswig-Holstein – located directly on the border with Lower Saxony, on the Elbe river, with one of the best-preserved historic old towns in Northern Germany. Since its first edition in 2008, the Lauenburger Fischmeile has been the official season opening on the water and, at the same time, one of the largest early summer festivals in the district of Herzogtum Lauenburg in the state of Schleswig-Holstein.

What's on the Menu

The focus of the festival is clear: fresh fish in all variations. The stalls between Lösch- und Ladeplatz and Ruferplatz offer:

Smoked fish directly from the smokehouse
Beer-battered fish from a Büsum crab fisherman
Fish rolls and maritime specialties
Rosemary potatoes, North Sea specialties, regional drinks

Music with a Harbour Vibe

A maritime atmosphere is essential: The duo Lui & Fiete brings songs of the water to the stage, and the shanty choir Die Kielschweine provides the multi-voiced element. The historic backdrop between half-timbered houses and the Elbe riverbank turns every performance into a small open-air theatre.

Three Events, One Day

The beauty of the Fischmeile is that two other events simultaneously liven up the old town:

7th Lauenburg Old Town Flea Market — from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the entire historic old town between the church, Ruferplatz, and Neustadt
Elbe River Trips on the Century Steamer „Kaiser Wilhelm“ — the 125-year-old paddle steamer departs from Ruferplatz for the Elbe at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Open House at Künstlerhaus Lauenburg — the regional art and culture scene opens its doors

A Tradition with an Anchor

With its 19th edition in 2026, the Fischmeile is firmly anchored in Lauenburg's event calendar. It combines three Lauenburg trademarks – the historic old town, Elbe river shipping, and the town's maritime identity – making it far more than just a street food event: a true community festival that ushers in the season on the Elbe promenade.