Sparkassen HenneseeFest Meschede

Summer Evening at the Reservoir — the HenneseeFest

Anyone who knows Meschede in the Sauerland on an August evening knows: The HenneseeFest is *the* date of the summer. For two days, the Hennedamm, the dam and dike of the Hennesees, transforms into a 700-meter-long open-air promenade with two stages, a lounge, food trucks, and countless table groups with a lake view. Free admission — from young to old, from families to festival-goers, the entire Meschede region flocks to the reservoir.

Two Stages, One Lounge

The musical concept focuses on genre-wide program diversity:

• Main Stage — Cover bands, tribute acts, party bands, regional live acts, and headliners of supra-regional renown. Genre mix from rock and pop to Schlager and hits of the 80s/90s
• Second Stage — Smaller local bands, singer-songwriters, newcomers from the Sauerland scene
• 'Chillin'' Lounge — Quieter area with seating, DJ sets, and most importantly: lake view. Here you can cool down after an hour at the front of the stage

The full lineup will be announced in early summer 2026, as experience shows — read more at meschede.de/henneseefest.

Food Trucks and Sauerland Specialties

The culinary side is one of the festival's strengths: Local food trucks, barbecue stations, beer from Veltins from nearby Grevenstein (Sauerland — Land of 1000 Mountains and Breweries), and drink bars line the dam. Vegetarian and vegan options are clearly marked.

Organizers and Partners

Spearheaded by Stadtmarketing Meschede e.V. (Sophienweg 3, 59872 Meschede), which manages the year's largest open-air event, the HenneseeFest. The main sponsor is Sparkasse Mitten im Sauerland, with further partners including Veltins, ITH Schraubtechnik, Hochsauerland Wasser, and the Caritasverband Meschede. Without these sponsors, the festival would not be free.

Hennesee — the Sauerland Mediterranean View

With a water surface of 6.5 km², the Hennesee is one of NRW's largest reservoirs. The festival's location — directly on the crest of the dam with a view over the entire area to the Sauerland hills — is one of its unique selling points compared to other open-air events in the region.