Schierker Musiksommer

Concert Series with a View of the Brocken

Schierke is a tiny district of the town Oberharz am Brocken — located directly at the foot of Northern Germany's highest mountain, with a connection to the Brocken Railway and a location described in every travel guide as the "Gateway to the Brocken." In the middle of the village lies the spa park, a patch of lawn with a stage and trees, which becomes the venue for an unusually diverse concert series every year from June to September: the Schierker Musiksommer.

Diversity Instead of Specialization

What distinguishes the Schierker Musiksommer from other summer concert series is its explicitly genre-breaking programming. One Saturday, a classical ensemble performs, the next a blues duo, the Saturday after that a folk band, then a brass choir, then a jazz trio. This mix is not accidental but intentional — it targets a tourist audience that is already traveling in the Harz region and is looking for a varied program. Success proves the series right: on pleasant Saturdays, the spa park is well-filled.

Free and Uncomplicated

All concerts are free. There are no seat reservations, no fixed chairs, no tickets. Those who come bring a picnic blanket or a folding chair, get a drink at the stand, and enjoy the music. The concerts usually last around 90 minutes and take place in all weather — the stage in the spa park has a roof, while the audience sits outdoors.

Schierke, the Brocken, and the Harz

Schierke is located in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt, at an altitude of about 600 meters. The Brocken Railway of the Harz narrow-gauge railways starts its journey here to the 1,141 m high Brocken. Those who spend a day in Schierke can hike up the Brocken in the morning or take the narrow-gauge railway, stroll through the spa park in the afternoon, and attend a concert of the Musiksommer on the weekend. A more relaxed form of festival tourism is hardly imaginable in the Harz.