Spreewaldweihnacht Lübbenau & Lehde

The Spreewald as an Advent Landscape

The Spreewald – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home to the Lower Sorbian-Wendish minority, and shaped by a dense network of canals for centuries – offers an Advent backdrop that is unique in Germany. In November and December, the summer paddling paradise transforms into a winter landscape of wooden houses, smoked fish stalls, and punt boats gliding slowly through the canals. The Spreewaldweihnacht in Lübbenau and its district Lehde combine both worlds – harbour town and museum village – into a cohesive Advent festival.

Two Markets, One Punt Trip

Festival site 1 is the Großer Spreewaldhafen Lübbenau, the oldest landing stage in the Spreewald. It boasts a maritime atmosphere: smoked fish, Spreewald mulled wine, Christmas pancakes, and small stalls from regional craftspeople. From here, the warmly covered punt boats depart for festival site 2 – the Lehde open-air museum. In the UNESCO-listed village of Lehde, historic farmhouses and Spreewald houses bring old Spreewald Christmas traditions to life: the "Bescherkind" figure, light symbols, Sorbian-Wendish customs, illuminated courtyards, and regional gastronomy.

Bescherkind and Sorbian-Wendish Customs

The "Bescherkind" is a traditional figure in the Spreewald who brings gifts to children during Advent – a tradition with roots in the Sorbian-Wendish cultural area, preserved in this form nowhere else in Germany. At the Spreewaldweihnacht, visitors encounter this figure directly in the open-air museum, as well as other customs actively conveyed by the market.

Punt Trip in Heated Boats

The punt boats between Lübbenau and Lehde are a central experience: covered Spreewald punts equipped with blankets navigate the canal network, transporting visitors back and forth between the two markets. The journey takes about 20–30 minutes and is included in the admission package. Capacity is limited – tickets should be booked well in advance (advance sale starts 1 September 2026).

History and Organisers

The Spreewaldweihnacht is organised jointly by the Großer Spreewaldhafen Lübbenau and the Lehde open-air museum. Over the years, the event has established itself as one of Brandenburg's most unique Advent markets and is featured in several travel magazines as a "hidden gem of the German Advent season" – anyone who has glided through the wintery canals in a warm punt understands why.