Name: Maifeuer Westerdeichstrich 2026
Start: 2026-04-30T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-04-30T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Stinteck — Strandparkplatz

Maifeuer Stinteck

About Maifeuer Stinteck

The Maifeuer Westerdeichstrich traditionally burns on Walpurgis Night, the eve of May 1st. On April 30, 2026, the municipality of Westerdeichstrich (Dithmarschen, Schleswig-Holstein) will light the fire at 7:30 PM on the Stinteck beach parking lot — gathering starts at 6:30 PM. It is one of the typical Dithmarschen May bonfires with which the North Frisian community welcomes spring and symbolically drives away winter. There will be catering and a stick bread activity for children on site.

Dates 30 Apr — 30 Apr 2026

Venue Westerdeichstrich (01051)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Maifeuer Stinteck — edition 2026

The Maifeuer Westerdeichstrich 2026 will take place on Thursday, April 30th, on the Stinteck beach parking lot. Gathering starts at 6:30 PM, the fire will be lit at 7:30 PM. Catering and a stick bread activity for children.

Walpurgis Night 2026 falls on a Thursday, making the traditional May bonfire in Westerdeichstrich-Stinteck easily accessible. The community and the volunteer fire department are organizing the beach bonfire as in previous years.

From 6:30 PM, the gathering begins at the beach parking lot, and catering opens simultaneously. At 7:30 PM, the fire department lights the large wood fire. Afterwards, the stick bread activity and a social gathering invite visitors to linger — with clear visibility, the spectacle can be seen for miles across the Wadden Sea marshland.

Highlights Maifeuer Stinteck 2026

Walpurgis Night bonfire on the Wadden Sea; Stinteck beach parking lot as an unusual venue; stick bread activity for children; part of the Dithmarschen May bonfire calendar.

Programme Maifeuer Stinteck 2026

Thursday, April 30, 2026 — Walpurgis Night

6:30 PM — Gathering and catering begins at the Stinteck beach parking lot
7:30 PM — Lighting of the May bonfire by the Volunteer Fire Department
Following that — Stick bread activity for children, further catering, social gathering

In case of extreme wind or a fire hazard level declared by the fire department, the May bonfire may be canceled at short notice — current information available on the community website.

Prices Maifeuer Stinteck 2026

Free admission. Food and drinks for a small fee or donation.

Practical information

Practical information — Maifeuer Stinteck

Getting There

By car: B5 or B431 to Büsum, then L 145 towards Westerdeichstrich-Stinteck. Follow signs for "Strand Stinteck". Parking available at the beach parking lot.

Admission

Admission is free. Food and drinks available on site for a small fee. Stick bread activity for children is free or by donation.

Note

In case of extreme wind or a fire hazard level declared by the fire department, the May bonfire may be canceled. Current information available at westerdeichstrich.de.

Walpurgis Tradition on the North Sea Coast

On Walpurgis Night — the night of April 30th to May 1st — May bonfires are lit in many communities in Dithmarschen and Schleswig-Holstein. The tradition is old and dates back to pre-Christian times: The spring fire was meant to drive away winter spirits and celebrate the transition to the warmer half of the year. Today, the volunteer fire departments usually organize the respective May bonfire for their village.

Westerdeichstrich and the Stinteck District

Westerdeichstrich is a municipality in the Dithmarschen district (state of Schleswig-Holstein), located at the transition between Geest and Nordseemarsch. The district of Stinteck is situated directly on the Wadden Sea and, with its beach and the Hennings riding stables, is a tourist-oriented part of the municipality. The Stinteck beach parking lot serves as a large open space for the May bonfire — with a wide view over the Wadden Sea landscape.

Program for April 30, 2026

The 2026 May bonfire follows the proven choreography:

6:30 PM — Gathering and catering begins at the Stinteck beach parking lot
7:30 PM — Lighting of the fire by the Westerdeichstrich Volunteer Fire Department
Following that — Stick bread activity for children, further catering, social gathering

Embedded in the Dithmarschen May Bonfire Calendar

In Dithmarschen, over 40 May bonfires burn simultaneously on Walpurgis Night. The local press (Boyens Medien, dithmarschen.de) publishes a map of all May bonfires in the district each year — a tradition that elevates the May bonfire experience beyond the individual community into a regional ritual. Anyone driving through Dithmarschen on Walpurgis Night will see the fires glowing in the marshland from afar — a hallmark of the Dithmarschen district.