Sommerfest der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr Heiligensee

Heiligensee — where Berlin ends

Heiligensee is the northwesternmost district of Berlin and belongs to the Reinickendorf borough. Nestled between the Havel river to the west, the Berlin Forest, and the Brandenburg state border, the village has retained its rural character to this day — lots of single-family homes, a historic village green, a small brick church from the 13th century. Traveling here from Berlin-Mitte takes over an hour by S-Bahn and U-Bahn — but that's precisely what makes Heiligensee special: a Berlin that feels like Brandenburg province.

The Volunteer Fire Brigade

The Heiligensee Volunteer Fire Brigade has been active for over 100 years and is part of the Berlin Fire Brigade — as a volunteer unit that must be ready around the clock. Besides regular drills, the annual summer festival is the brigade's most important public activity. It serves three purposes: collecting donations for the support association, recruiting members, and maintaining contact with residents. Free admission — revenue comes from sales and the tombola.

What happens at the festival

Traditionally offered on the fire station grounds and the adjacent village green:

• Open Day: Tour of the fire station, hands-on with emergency vehicles
• Ladder Truck Demonstration: the extendable ladder reaches a height of 30 meters several times a day
• Ride on the Ladder Truck — the classic, always with a long queue for children
• Demonstrations: hose-rolling competition, firefighting drill, occasionally a controlled fire scenario
• Bouncy castle, obstacle course, face painting
• Tombola: prizes donated by local businesses
• Live Music: local bands, acoustic sets
• Bratwurst, beer, cake from the support association

When it takes place

The summer festival takes place annually on a Saturday in September. In 2025, it was September 20th. The date for 2026 has not yet been officially confirmed but is expected to be in the third week of September again. Confirmation typically occurs in early summer on the Heiligensee initiative platform and via the Volunteer Fire Brigade's Facebook page.

Berlin Outskirts Tradition

Visitors to the summer festival get to know a Berlin that has been lost in the city center: close neighborhood ties, voluntary commitment in associations, a village green that still functions as a village green. Comparable festivals can be found in many Berlin districts on the outskirts — Kladow, Buckow, Hermsdorf, Lübars — but Heiligensee is one of the most beautifully situated.