Parkfest with Peermarkt Tönning

From Horse Trading to Family Festival

In 1875, a tradition began in Tönning that has endured to this day: the Peermarkt in the Castle Park. "Peer" is Low German for horse, and the original purpose of the event was straightforward trading – farmers, carters, and riders met to buy, sell, and inspect animals. 150 years later, the format has changed: pure horse trading has been replaced by a colorful family program, but the horse remains the symbolic centerpiece.

Equestrian Demonstrations and Peermarkt

Riding clubs from the region showcase dressage and vaulting in the festival grounds. Market stalls offer equestrian supplies – from saddles and bridles to boots and helmets. The traditional "Pokalringreiten" (cup show jumping) competition between the surrounding riding clubs also takes place every two years. For children, pony rides and craft activities with horse motifs are particularly popular – a low-threshold opportunity to make initial contact with the animals.

Silent Disco, Laser Show, and Stage Program

The Parkfest complements the Peermarkt with a modern folk festival program. On Friday evening, a Silent Disco is held – a format where participants choose their own music via wireless headphones, while outwardly only voices and laughter can be heard in the park. On Saturday evening, a laser show illuminates the trees and sculptures of the Castle Park in vibrant colors. Regional bands, folk musicians, traditional costume groups, and children's programs alternate on the central stage. Food stalls provide visitors with North German culinary delights – shrimp rolls, fish rolls, suckling pig, grilled corn on the cob, and farmer's bread with lard.

Tönning Castle Park and Eiderstedt

The Castle Park in Tönning is one of the most beautiful inner-city green spaces in North Frisia. The former castle was demolished in 1734, but the park was preserved as a wooded area with old trees. Tönning, once the most important port city on the Eiderstedt peninsula, now thrives on tourism, its proximity to the Eider Barrage, and the Multimar Wattforum. The Parkfest is one of the oldest continuously celebrated folk festivals in the state of Schleswig-Holstein.