Midsummer Celebration Satow Church Ruin

Midsummer at the Church Ruin

The Midsummer Celebration at the Satow Church Ruin is a two-day festival organized by the Lebendige Steine association around the longest days of the year. It combines music, community, and devotion against the backdrop of one of Mecklenburg's oldest churches. The construction of a church at this site by Cistercian monks was documented as early as 1224; today, only the early Gothic ruin remains, its former cemetery overgrown like a park, providing an atmospheric setting.

Concert by the Miller Family

The highlight on Saturday evening is the concert by the Miller Family. The band from Vorpommern consists of father Tom Miller and his five daughters Bella, Leoni, Maya, Maria, and Jorinde, who play folksy, handmade music with country and pop influences using violin, double bass, accordion, ukulele, mandolin, guitar, and more, along with multi-part vocals. The family band builds on the old tradition of 'Stubenmusik' (parlor music) and is known beyond the region – they have performed on Russian state television to millions of viewers and with Thomas Anders. In front of the medieval ruin backdrop, a unique concert experience is created.

Picnic and Church Service

The Saturday evening includes a summer picnic in the park: guests can bring their own blankets and food or enjoy the offerings on site. On Sunday morning, a church service will be held in the ruin, followed by a communal breakfast. This combination of a secular festival and devotion makes the Midsummer Celebration an event that makes the character of the place – Satow's spiritual and cultural center for centuries – palpable.

Lebendige Steine – Kirchruine Satow e.V.

The organizer is the association Lebendige Steine – Kirchruine Satow e.V., founded in 2011, which brings the ruin back to life and makes its 800-year history tangible. Throughout the year, it organizes concerts, readings, film nights, and seasonal festivals. Satow is located in the Rostock district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, easily accessible between the Hanseatic city of Rostock and the Baltic coast.