Social distancing has turned our social lives into software but alas! most of us are no IT experts. We are longing for being able to get out and participate in activities again. But due to the new vaccines that are beginning to be approved and distributed the day when we will be able to move around and visit events freely is approaching quickly! Here are our top 5 list of festivals and events to look forward to after the Corona virus lockdown in Hamburg.

Reeperbahn Festival

Copyright Marius Roeer. (CC BY-SA 4.0)

In September every year Hamburg celebrates its Reeperbahn Festival. Of course, the Reeperbahn in the heart of St.Pauli, Hamburg’s alternative and amusement district, offers a perfect backdrop for this unique collage of music and events. The hundreds of clubs create an opportunity found almost nowhere else for the around 600 concerts and workshops as well as in depth meetings for thousands of visitors on this special weekend.

International acclaimed as well as local bands from over 60 different countries around the world present their highly rated jams and grooves here to create an ambient of funkyness and show off their different beats and sounds. 

Along with the great value of being able to buy day or weekend passes, which makes for a type of concert flat-rate, the quantity and quality of this festival will have you rocking with memories long afterwards. Many visitors are actually disappointed at how fast this festival seems to go by… time flies when there is this much jamming going on!

Hamburg Dom

The Hamburg Dom is one of the most prominent folk festivals in northern Europe. It is a great place to forget your worries and have an exciting time. There are hundreds of stands that you can visit for food, attractions, sweets and rides.

Typical food that you can find at the Hamburg Dom is: corn on the cob, Fischbrötchen (fish rolls), sausages and steaks, chips or fries, and many other delicious foods. Of course there are also enough beer halls to enjoy a nice pint along with your meal.

Also for your sweet tooth there are many delightful surprises you can find at the Hamburg Dom. From chocolate covered grapes and bananas to licorice to the ever so famous German gummy bears as well as caramelized almonds and other nuts. There is enough to splurge here and take the next morning to the gym.

Attractions range from roller coasters, haunted houses, mirror rooms, ferris wheels, carrousels, and shows that cost a pretty penny. However, they do offer family day discounts every Wednesday for those with children.

The Highlight of the Dom though is every at 10:30 p.m. their live fireworks show. It is a wonderful way to end an evening in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The best thing is, it is free for everyone to enjoy the splashing of lights across the evening sky.

The Hamburg Dom takes place three times a year, From the end of March to the end of April, most days in August, and November through December… It is a local gesture that in Hamburg you don’t ask when the Dom is taking place, rather when it is not taking place.

Harbour Birthday

Every second weekend of May the people in Hamburg love to celebrate the birthday of their Harbour, the 3rd largest in Europe. The harbour was founded in 1189 under the decree of Friedrich Barbarossa and has been bustling with goods ever since. From its quant beginnings to the high tech automation of today, the harbour has many reasons to celebrate each and every year

There are a plethora of land and water activities to enjoy with hundreds of beautiful ships and boats that come extra for this event. Some of the highlights include the tug-boat ballet, where these sturdy little boats show off an array of pirouettes and assert an impressive choreography, open house to many marine and civilian vessels, fire works, live music, the opening and closing boat parades, demonstrations of the fire department’s rescue operations, and many more. It is literally impossible to see all the attractions taking place.

 Hundreds of historical boats are also on display with an amazing collection of over 300 inspiring tall boats. The international community with their fleets converge every year to help make an unforgettable experience to enjoy. Bring your cameras because there are many memorable photos opportunities to be made here at the world’s largest harbour festival! 

Fischmarkt

Every Sunday from 5 a.m. till 9:30 a.m. is Hamburgs fish market during normal times. Yes, it is a market but not just any market, rather a must see thing to do while visiting the city. There are hundreds of stands set up along the Elbe river of vendors trying to sell everything from fish, fruits and vegetables, souvigniers, clothing, and even weird oddities such as used denchers! You can buy everything including the kitchen sink at the fish market… There is actually a saying in the city that goes: “everything you lose in St.Pauli on Saturday night, you can buy at the fish market… for only half price!”.

It is also a common thing for young people to go out Saturday night to the clubs of St.Pauli and when the sun starts coming up in the morning, they go to the fish market where the partying keeps on going. At the main auction hall you can listen to live musik, get a nice breakfast like a pickled herring (or a waffle with powdered sugar for those of you that aren’t into fish), and enjoy your morning coffee or beer. (And yes, morning beer is a thing in Germany!)

The most famous things to enjoy though are what are called the “Marktschreier” (market yellers). Venders yelling into the market doing whatever possible so you will buy their stuff. Most of them offer a real life auction show that can’t be missed. The secret to haggling here is not to try to get things cheaper, rather try to get more stuff for the offered price, especially for the renowned tropical fruit baskets!

Christmas Markets

Germany is known for its beautiful Christmas Markets and although the markets had to be cancelled in 2020, everyone here is anticipating their reopening in the coming years. Hamburg has dozens of special Christmas markets to choose from.

Probably the most famous market is the Roncalli Christmas market located at the Rathaus or town hall square. Here you can enjoy the beautiful christmas decorations as well as Santa Claus riding his sleigh over the market telling his christmas stories. Time for Glühwein and traditional Christmas baked goods is especially enjoyed here. But also, hand crafted toys and decorations are admired and sold here. So if you are looking for something special to give to the loved ones, this is a great place to start off the Christmas shopping.

A very special one of a kind Christmas market can be found on the Reeperbahn at the Santa Pauli Christmas market, Germany’s only erotic Christmas market! Here you can also enjoy hand crafted seasonal Glühwein along with chocolate dildos, or erotic Christmas lingerie, or even enjoy the hourly “Santa Strip” where Santa’s helpers offer a seasonal strip tease show (male and female helpers). 

We are all excited to be able to visit these events again once it is safe to do so. We would like to encourage all our readers to stay safe, wear a mask, practice social distancing, and get vaccinated as soon as possible. Here is towards a wonderful new year 2021 that will break the corona virus dreadnaught.