Name: Magdeburg Dragon Boat Festival 2026
Start: 2026-07-25T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-07-26T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Salbker See II — Vereinsgelände Wassersportverein Buckau-Fermersleben

Dragon Boat Festival

About Dragon Boat Festival

Since 2000, up to 50 teams have been paddling across Salbker See II in the south of Magdeburg at the end of July. The Dragon Boat Festival combines sporting competition, an open-air party, and a camping atmosphere – and is one of the largest water sports events in Saxony-Anhalt.

Dates 25 Jul — 26 Jul 2026

Venue Magdeburg (15003)

Prices Free

Status —

Edition 2026

Dragon Boat Festival — edition 2026

Tickets →

The 24th Magdeburg Dragon Boat Festival is expected to take place on the last weekend of July 2026 at Salbker See II. Two days of dragon boat racing over 200m, 500m, and the Salbker Mile, stage program, and camping.

The Magdeburg Dragon Boat Festival returns in 2026 for its 24th edition at Salbker See II. The organizer is the Buckau-Fermersleben Water Sports Club. The exact date at the end of July 2026 will be confirmed in spring 2026 on the festival website. As in previous years, up to 50 teams are expected in the Fun, Sport, and Premium classes.

Highlights Dragon Boat Festival 2026

Up to 50 teams, six parallel race tracks, three distances (200m, 500m, Salbker Mile), and an open-air party by the lake.

Programme Dragon Boat Festival 2026

Saturday (End of July 2026)

Morning — Welcome, practice runs, team check-in
Daytime — 200-meter heats and repechage rounds on six parallel tracks
Evening — 200-meter finals
Following — 200-meter awards ceremony
Open-air party under the canopy with live band and DJ

Sunday (End of July 2026)

Morning — 500-meter heats
Midday — Salbker Mile (long-distance race over the full length of the lake)
Afternoon — 500-meter finals
Late Afternoon — Overall awards ceremony and festival closing

On-site camping, snack stands, and breakfast buffet available all day. Free admission for spectators. Team registrations via the festival website.

Prices Dragon Boat Festival 2026

Free admission for spectators. Team fees vary by class.

Practical information

Practical information — Dragon Boat Festival

Getting There

Salbker See II, WBF Club Grounds, 39122 Magdeburg. Take tram line 9 from the main train station to the final stop, then walk for about 15 minutes. By car, take the A2 (Magdeburg-Süd exit).

Parking

Parking available at the club grounds, limited on competition days.

Admission

Free admission for spectators. Team registration via the organizer's website.

Camping

Tent sites directly at the club grounds, breakfast buffet available.

Food & Drink

Snack stands, bar, and breakfast buffet at the clubhouse.

When the Drum Echoes Across Salbker See

The Magdeburg Dragon Boat Festival is a well-established institution in the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 2000, the Wassersportverein Buckau-Fermersleben (Buckau-Fermersleben Water Sports Club) has organized the annual major event on Salbker See II in the south of Magdeburg – a calm former opencast mine lake that transforms into an international race track for a weekend in July.

Up to 50 teams and over 3,000 participants and spectators are expected. Fun, sport, and premium teams will start on six parallel race tracks with finish line video control. The distances follow the International Dragon Boat Formula: 200 meters on Saturday, 500 meters on Sunday, plus the famous Salbker Mile, a long-distance race over the full length of the lake.

More Than Just Competition

The festival's strength lies in its mix: racing during the day, drum signals and cheers from the shore, and in the evening, a stage and open-air party under the large canopy of the WBF grounds. On Saturday evening, after the 200-meter finals, trophies for the top three places will be awarded, followed by the live band. Those arriving with their own team can pitch their tents directly on the club grounds – including a breakfast buffet and snack bar on the shore.

Premium Dragon Boat Racing in Saxony-Anhalt

What sets the Magdeburg festival apart from many other dragon boat events is the Premium class. Here, top teams from all over Germany and sometimes from abroad compete, while the Fun class remains open to hobby crews who were spontaneously put together just four weeks prior. The organizer provides the equipment – boats, drums, steerspersons – in accordance with the rules of the Deutscher Drachenbootverband (German Dragon Boat Association). Personal paddles are allowed, and personal team shirts certainly are.

Anyone traveling in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in July should note this date. Salbker See II can be reached in 30 minutes via tram line 9 from the main train station – a weekend excursion with a competitive atmosphere, sandy shores, and one of the most beautiful natural settings in the Magdeburg city area.