Plön City Bay Festival

Lakeside Volksfest

The Plöner Stadtbuchtfest is the largest Volksfest on the Großer Plöner See — the largest lake in Schleswig-Holstein, covering almost 30 square kilometers. Every year, on the first weekend of July, the festival transforms the lake shore between Strandweg and the city bay into a colorful festival mile with stages, sports competitions, and a street food mile.

Three Days of Stage Program

The heart of the festival is the Förde Sparkasse Lake Stage right on the water — a floating or near-shore stage with panoramic views of the lake. The program is deliberately broad: sea shanty choirs and maritime music on Friday, party bands and cover artists on Saturday, children's and youth program with dance, ballet, and street dance on Sunday.

Dragon Boat Cup

The sporting highlight is the Dragon Boat Cup on Saturday — a competition for amateur teams, clubs, and companies from the region. Registration in advance with the Plön Tourist Info. The paddling teams attract thousands of spectators to the shore.

Water Experience for Everyone

Throughout the three days, numerous hands-on activities on the water are available:

• Boat trips on large sailing ships — free tours on historic cutters
• Stand-up paddling — taster courses for beginners
• Canoe tours with a city guide on Sunday
• Pedalo rental directly at Strandweg

Family Program on Sunday

Sunday is all about families: face painting, obstacle courses, craft stations, henna tattoos, and activities from local organizations like the fire department and environmental groups. New in 2026 is "Pirates of Kornersfjord" — an interactive pirate world for children.

Street Food Mile

A long row of food trucks and regional snack stands along Strandweg offers international cuisine from burgers to sushi, as well as North German classics — shrimp rolls, fish rolls, smoked fish.

Plön — Gateway to Holstein Switzerland

Plön is the district capital of the district of the same name and the tourist gateway to Holstein Switzerland — the region with the most lakes in Schleswig-Holstein. Plön Castle towers over the city, dominating much of the cityscape. With around 8,700 inhabitants, Plön is a comparatively small town, but it attracts up to 40,000 guests for the Stadtbuchtfest every year.