Schwedt Oktoberfest

Schwedt/Oder — Brandenburg's Northernmost Town

Schwedt is located directly on the Oder river, on the Polish border, in the north of the Uckermark. The town is the administrative center of northern Brandenburg, an industrial location (PCK refinery, Leipa paper mill) and at the same time a gateway to the Lower Oder Valley National Park — one of the most important bird sanctuaries in Central Europe. The Uckermark capital is Brandenburg's northernmost town and at the same time one of the youngest — after its destruction in 1945, Schwedt was rebuilt as a socialist industrial city from the 1960s onwards. The Schwedt Oktoberfest has been a central date in the city's event calendar since the 1990s.

The Oktoberfest on the Market Square

As in many North German cities, the Bavarian original is also celebrated in Schwedt with a local adaptation: a large festival tent with beer benches, hosts in traditional costume, hearty Bavarian cuisine (pork knuckles, pretzels, white sausages), and of course beer. Schwedt's central market square — directly in front of the historic castle park area — becomes a festival meadow for three days.

Program and Stage

On the stage, operated in cooperation with Antenne Brandenburg, bands and artists from the Schlager, party, and rock genres perform. Classics of German-language Schlager, sing-along tracks, dance music — the program aims at a broad audience from teenagers to seniors. Carousels, a Ferris wheel, and children's rides provide family entertainment on weekend afternoons. On Saturday evening, the fireworks display takes place — the annual highlight.

A Tradition Since 1995

The Schwedt Oktoberfest has been running since 1995, meaning for over 30 years, and is one of the firmly established folk festivals in Northeast Brandenburg. It always takes place on the last weekend of September and marks the unofficial end of the season before autumn for many residents of Schwedt — after which garden work is done, the garden is winterized, and the winter event season begins with Advent markets and the Winter Fairy Tale Time program. The charm of the Schwedt Oktoberfest lies in its mix: Bavarian form, Brandenburg realization, Uckermark hospitality.