Schönefeld Family May Festival

Labour Day as Family Day

May 1st is traditionally a day in Brandenburg when many municipalities hold their small May festivals — and the Schönefeld Family May Festival is one of the liveliest in the immediate vicinity of Berlin. The venue is the district of Alt-Schönefeld, the old village that was an independent farming village for centuries before incorporation and has retained its village character despite its proximity to BER Airport.

Maypole and Opening

The traditional start is the Maypole raising — a custom that has survived in southern Brandenburg and is now rarer in the north. The Maypole is erected on the village green, decorated, and handed over to the municipality with the festive opening. The mayor, clubs, the fire brigade, and the population gather around the pole.

Sports — Football and Volleyball

SV Schönefeld 1995 e.V. dominates the day sportingly. The club festival with a football tournament forms the sporting backbone: youth teams from Schönefeld and neighbouring clubs play all day for the May Cup. In parallel, a mixed tournament for hobby teams takes place on the beach volleyball court.

Children's Programme

The children's programme is exceptionally diverse:

• Face painting — a classic for the little ones
• Hands-on fire brigade — the Schönefeld Volunteer Fire Brigade showcases its vehicles, children can sit at the wheel, and a mini water spray provides initial fire safety impressions
• Percussion workshop — drumming workshop for children with professional instructors
• Bouncy castle

Schönefeld — Berlin-Brandenburg Crossroads

The municipality of Schönefeld is located in the Dahme-Spreewald district, directly south of the Berlin city limits, and has become internationally known through Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). In addition to Alt-Schönefeld, the municipality includes the districts of Großziethen, Selchow, Waltersdorf, Waßmannsdorf, Kiekebusch, and others. Despite the proximity to the airport, many districts still have a distinctly rural character — and the club culture is correspondingly lively.

Morning Pint and Atmosphere

The festival starts in the morning with a traditional Frühschoppen (morning pint with bratwurst and grilled specialities) and continues throughout the day. Free admission, catering by the clubs — a typical Brandenburg folk festival atmosphere with all the trimmings.