42nd Pälitzseefest with Trabant Meet Rheinsberg

42 Years of Pälitzseefest

The Pälitzseefest is one of Brandenburg's oldest continuously celebrated folk festivals. First held in 1985 — still during GDR times — as a summer festival for the Kleinzerlang district, it has retained its character after reunification while simultaneously developing into one of the most important summer attractions in northern Brandenburg. From July 31 to August 1, 2026 — the 42nd edition — the festival meadow on Lake Pälitz will once again become a meeting point for families from the region, water sports enthusiasts from the Rheinsberg Lake District, and a very special clientele: Trabant lovers, who travel from all over Germany with their historic GDR cars.

Trabant Meet — The Cult of the "Pappe"

The Trabant meet is a firmly established tradition of the Pälitzseefest. Trabant 601, Trabant 600, even some of the rare 1000 models and Kübelwagen-style Trabis gather on the festival grounds, decorated with pennants, old stickers, and small souvenirs from the 1970s and 80s. Trabbi drivers from Saxony, Brandenburg, Berlin, and even from West Germany travel here — many make a weekend trip out of it and stay overnight at the festival site. There is a Trabbi parade on Saturday, a "best of show," repair demonstrations with original parts, and expert discussion rounds over beer and bratwurst.

Folk Festival Program at Lake Pälitz

In addition, the classic summer folk festival takes place. A colorful dance evening on Saturday with a live band, a morning pint on Sunday with brass music, family activities with a bouncy castle and face painting, stalls with food and drinks (bratwurst, fish rolls from Lake Pälitz, beer, wine), carousels, and skill games. Those who want to swim can use the bathing beach right next door, which is fully accessible during the festival — perfect for a summer mix of festivities and swimming.

Lake Pälitz and the Rheinsberg Lake District

Lake Pälitz is part of the Müritz-Havel waterways and belongs to the Rheinsberg Lake District, one of the most beautiful water landscapes in northern Germany. Here, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg lakes connect via canals and rivers to form a water labyrinth that can be navigated by houseboat, canoe, or motorboat. Kleinzerlang, the district of Rheinsberg where the festival takes place, is a typical waterside village — a marina, a yacht harbor, a few thatched-roof houses, and the festival grounds right on the water.

Rheinsberg — Town of Frederick's Romanticism

Rheinsberg, a small town of about 8,000 inhabitants in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district, is famous for Rheinsberg Palace — the summer residence where the later Frederick the Great spent his happiest years as crown prince. The palace with its park on Lake Grienerick is now one of Brandenburg's tourist magnets. Anyone visiting the Pälitzseefest should plan an extra day — the palace and park are well worth a visit, as is a boat trip through the lake district.