Name: Vegesacker Matjestag 2026
Start: 2026-06-27T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-28T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Utkiek Vegesack

Matjestag Vegesack

About Matjestag Vegesack

With the Vegesacker Matjestag, the old harbor town in northern Bremen traditionally celebrates the start of the Matjes season. The highlight is the symbolic landing of the first barrel of Matjes, which is brought across the Weser to the Utkiek by the barge Vegebüdel and carried in a festive procession through Vegesack's city center. In addition, there are Matjes specialties in all variations, live maritime music, harbor tours, and the awarding of the coveted Matjes diploma. The festival commemorates Vegesack's great herring fishing tradition, when entire fishing fleets set out from the mouth of the Lesum for long fishing trips.

Dates 27 Jun — 28 Jun 2026

Venue Bremen (04011)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Matjestag Vegesack — edition 2026

The Vegesacker Matjestag 2026 will take place on June 27 and 28 at Utkiek Vegesack. This year again, the Matjes season will be opened with the symbolic landing of the first barrel, Matjes specialties, and live maritime music.

The program includes the festive arrival of the first Matjes barrel via the Weser, Matjes dishes in many variations, harbor tours, and the awarding of the Matjes diploma. Afterwards, the Vegesacker Matjeswochen invite you on a culinary journey of discovery through the district's restaurants.

Highlights Matjestag Vegesack 2026

Symbolic landing of the first Matjes barrel at 9:30 AM with the barge Vegebüdel
Costumed procession from the pier to the ellipse
Awarding of the Matjes diploma from 10 AM
Matjes specialties and cold drinks at the Utkiek from 9 AM to 5 PM
Harbor tours, live maritime music, and afterwards Vegesacker Matjeswochen

Programme Matjestag Vegesack 2026

June 27 and 28, 2026 – Utkiek Vegesack & Pedestrian Zone (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM)

Under the motto "Delicious Matjes!", Vegesack is once again opening the Matjes season in northern Bremen in 2026. The town commemorates its tradition as a former herring fishing town with the Matjestag.

Program Schedule – Main Points

from 9:00 AM — Opening of the sales stands with Matjes specialties at the Utkiek
9:30 AM — Symbolic landing: The "Vegesacker Junge" lands the first Matjes barrel of the season at the Vegesack pier with the barge Vegebüdel
Followed by a costumed musical procession towards the ellipse
10:00 AM — Awarding of the first Matjes diploma to guests
11:00 AM — Participation of the district administrator / local councilor in the Matjes diploma ceremony
during the day — Harbor tours with the barge, live music (maritime sounds)
until 5:00 PM — Matjes dishes in many variations, cold drinks, cultural supporting program

Vegesacker Matjeswochen

After the Matjestag, the Vegesacker Matjeswochen invite you on a culinary journey of discovery through the district's restaurants – with special Matjes dishes on the menus.

The detailed program with bands and the complete hourly schedule for 2026 will be published in advance by Vegesack Marketing e.V. ([email protected]).

Prices Matjestag Vegesack 2026

Admission to the festival grounds is free. Matjes dishes, drinks, and harbor tours are subject to a charge.

Practical information

Practical information — Matjestag Vegesack

Getting there

The Utkiek is located above Vegesack harbor, a few minutes' walk from the pedestrian zone. You can reach Bremen-Vegesack station by S-Bahn regional train, from where it is a few minutes' walk. Bus lines stop in Vegesack-Mitte.

Good to know

After the Matjestag, the Vegesacker Matjeswochen invite you to try various Matjes dishes in the district's restaurants. Contact via Vegesack Marketing e.V.

When the first Matjes barrel lands

The Vegesacker Matjestag is one of the most beautiful culinary and maritime festivals in northern Bremen. The program begins with the symbolic arrival of the first Matjes barrel of the season: the barge Vegebüdel brings it across the Weser to the signal location, accompanied by cutter haulers from the district. A delegation then carries the barrel from the city garden around the Vegesacker Junge up to the Utkiek, the traditional viewpoint above the harbor.

Matjes in all variations

Around the Utkiek and in the Vegesack pedestrian zone, there are Matjes in every conceivable form all day long — from classic Matjes with onions to modern creations like Matjes burgers, sherry Matjes in a bun, or Matjes 'n' Chips. Cold drinks, live maritime music, and harbor tours complete the program. The highlight for guests is the festive awarding of the Matjes diploma.

Vegesack — Germany's oldest artificial harbor

Hardly any other place is better suited for a maritime fish festival: The Vegesack harbor was put into operation in 1622/23 and is considered the oldest artificial harbor in Germany. It was built because the increasing silting up of the Weser made it difficult to transport goods upstream to Bremen and the sailors needed a safe winter berth. In the second half of the 17th century, Vegesack became a base for Arctic whaling — as early as 1653, a Bremen Greenland Company was founded. The name Utkiek comes from Low German and means something like 'lookout'; to this day, a mighty whale jawbone there commemorates the risky time of whaling.

Commemoration of the Hanseatic herring fishing era

The Matjestag consciously builds on this great past. The Bremen-Vegesacker Fischereigesellschaft was founded in 1895, when salt herring was a staple food and a lucrative business; significant fishing fleets set out from the mouth of the Lesum for long voyages. With the festival, Vegesack keeps this Hanseatic tradition alive in the state of Bremen — and turns the start of the season into a Volksfest (folk festival) for the entire region. Afterwards, the Vegesacker Matjeswochen invite you to go on a culinary journey of discovery in the district's restaurants.