Spree Festival Cottbus

Water as a point of contention

In Lusatia, water is becoming scarce. For decades, open-cast lignite mining has pumped out groundwater. Now, after structural change and the renaturation of former mining lakes, the entire hydrological system of the Spree is changing. In some places, streams are disappearing, while other rivers carry iron ochre or sulfates. The Spree Festival 2026 tackles this issue head-on: under the motto 'flowing together', it brings together activists, scientists, artists, and residents to discuss the future of water in Brandenburg.

Strombad Cottbus

The venue is Strombad Cottbus – a historic riverside bathing area used since the 1920s. Its location is programmatic: between the urban space and the river, between recreation and the ecological front line.

Four days, one program

The festival combines workshops, cultural offerings, music, and performance with scientific lectures and networking formats. The program includes discussions on the renaturation of mining lakes, workshops on the sulfate pollution of the Spree, concerts by the water, and performances addressing water culture and nature.

Self-organized and solidarity-based

The festival operates on the principle of 'solidarity economy': free admission, free meals – those who wish to contribute more can make a donation. Camping is possible on-site, as is day participation. Organizers request advance registration to better plan resources. English translations, vegan catering, accessible camping and sanitary facilities, and paved paths are standard.

Brandenburg beyond the trends

The Spree Festival is not a classic music festival but a political-cultural format. In Cottbus, the third-largest city in the state of Brandenburg and the undisputed center of Lusatia, it finds its natural stage. Anyone wanting to get to know the state beyond castles and folk festivals (Volksfeste) – as a region in transition, where political and ecological questions are very concrete – will find themselves in the right place here.