70th Pentecost Festival in Sonnewalde Castle Park

Sonnewalde — Niederlausitz Castle Town in the Elbe-Elster Region

Sonnewalde is a small town with just under 2,200 inhabitants in the Elbe-Elster district, in southern Brandenburg, about 30 km northeast of Cottbus. The landmark is Sonnewalde Castle from the 17th century with its extensive castle park — a complex that is still considered the central public space of the town and is the venue for many cultural events.

70 Years of Pentecost Festival — Anniversary 2026

With its 70 years, the Culture and Homeland Festival on Pentecost is one of the oldest continuously held Pentecost festivals in Brandenburg. It originated in the 1950s as a traditional event — Pentecost being an important spring holiday in the rural tradition of Brandenburg. Today, the festival is a symbol of Sonnewalde's identity: four days of program, organized entirely by volunteers from the Sonnewalder Fest- und Kulturverein e.V., supported by many helpers from the town and its districts.

Program — Four Days of Culture and Sociability

The 2026 program for the 70th anniversary edition will be particularly extensive. The classic elements that have shaped the festival for decades are well-known: Opening ceremony on Friday with the mayor's speech and beer tapping, followed by a dance evening with a live band. Saturday during the day, a parade through the town, a club mile with stands from local clubs, sports demonstrations, and games for children; in the evening, a big concert on the open-air stage in the castle park. Sunday (Whit Sunday) ecumenical service, family program with face painting, crafts, carousel rides; in the evening, stage program and dancing. Whit Monday traditionally features a morning pint (Frühschoppen), a parade of the clubs, and the festival finale.

Cultural Association and Volunteer Work

The Sonnewalder Fest- und Kulturverein e.V. (abbreviation SoWa) is the organizer of the festival and many other cultural events in the town. The association regularly communicates current program details on Facebook. The entire festival is run entirely by volunteers — a remarkable achievement in a town of 2,200 inhabitants. Anyone who wants to get an impression of real Brandenburg club life and rural festival culture is in the right place.

Castle Park as a Festival Backdrop

Sonnewalde Castle Park, with its old trees, the war memorial, and the open-air stage, provides an unusually beautiful backdrop for a Volksfest. Unlike most festivals held on a plain festival ground, the Pentecost Festival here has real park charm — picnicking on the lawn between program items is part of it.