2012 events in Schleswig-Holstein
The land between the seas, as Germany’s northernmost province Schleswig-Holstein is also known, once again presents a full calendar of events in the new year. This includes traditional festivals such as the North Frisian Lamb Festival, international sporting competitions such as the Kieler Woche (‘Kiel Week’) and the Windsurfing World Cups and top-class cultural events such as the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival. Here we present an overview of the year’s highlights on the North Sea and Baltic coasts and in the interior of Schleswig-Holstein.
24/25 March: Husum Crocus Blossom Festival – For a few weeks, more than four million crocuses bathe the Palace Park of the little Northern Frisian town of Husum in delicate purple. And this inspires the Husum Crocus Blossom Festival with attractions such as the Crocus Blossom Queen, the handicrafts market and Sunday shopping (www.husum-tourismus.de).
5 May – 31 July: North Frisian Lamb Festival – A wealth of events centring around the delicate ‘salt meadow lamb’, North Frisia’s famous culinary speciality. Guests can look forward to such highlights as grilled lamb, famers’ markets, meetings with the Lamb Queen and art exhibitions (www.lammtage.de).
26/27 May: Beach Polo World Cup – In Hörnum on the island of Sylt the world’s best polo players come together to compete on their elegant horses (www.polosylt.de).
02 June – 07 October: NordArt, held in the Carlshütte arts and cultural centre near Rendsburg on the Kiel Canal, has grown into northern Europe’s biggest annual art exhibition. The overview of the jury-selected exhibition features a new concept each year and provides a wide-ranging panorama of contemporary art in an unusual ambience (www.kunstwerk-carlshuette.de).
16-24 June: Kieler Woche – Schleswig-Holstein’s maritime provincial capital presents the world’s biggest sailing event, Kieler Woche or ‘Kiel Week’, which now celebrates its 130th edition (www.kieler-woche.de).
21-24 June: Glückstadt Matjes Weeks – The delicate Glückstadt Matjes (pickled young herring) is a true delicacy that is available in numerous tasty variations. Every year the Matjes is celebrated with a large traditional festival (www.glueckstadt-tourismus.de).
29 June – 1 July: Jazz Baltica – “New places, familiar faces” is the motto of Jazz Baltica, which this year has a new artistic director in the person of the Swedish trombonist, singer and composer Nils Landgren. The festival has also gained a new venue: the Evers-Werft shipyard in Timmendorfer Strand-Niendorf (www.jazzbaltica.de).
6-15 July: Kitesurfing World Cup St. Peter-Ording – The world’s best kitesurfers show their skills in the waves off St. Peter-Ording, competing in the Freestyle and Race disciplines for important points in the world championship ranking. The accompanying programme ensures a great atmosphere on the beach as well (www.st.peter-ording.de).
7 July - 26 August: Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival – Outstanding artistes from all over the world provide entertaining top-level concert performances in manor houses, renovated barns, churches, parks and concert halls. In 2012 China is the music nation in the focus of the festival (www.shmf.de).
27-29 July: Viking Festival in Schleswig – Within sight of Hedeby, which 1000 years ago was the most important Viking settlement in northern Europe, Norsemen now recreate a large Viking settlement on the bank of the Schlei sea firth (www.wikingertage.de).
2-4 August: Wacken Open Air – Each year the world’s biggest heavy metal festival takes place in a small village in Schleswig-Holstein. An event with absolute cult status! (www.wacken.com)
September 2012 – March 2013: Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival – For the 26th time, Germany’s star chefs come together in the northernmost federal state to delight the public with their skills (www.gourmetfestival.de).
18-23 September: Dithmarschen Cabbage Festival – For six days in Europe’s biggest cohesive area of cabbage cultivation, activities centre around this tasty vegetable. In addition to cabbage in many variants, visitors can also look forward to art, culture and the unexpected (www.kohltage-dithmarschen.de).
28 September – 7 October: Windsurfing World Cup on Sylt – This major event features not only the world’s biggest windsurfing event and the only Super Grand Slam worldwide with the highest overall prize money of the PWA, but also plenty of exuberant beach parties (www.sylt.de).
November: 54th Northern Film Festival – This festival in the Hanseatic City of Lübeck, the oldest of its kind, presents more than 120 feature films, documentary films and shorts from the Scandinavian and Baltic countries and from Schleswig-Holstein (www.filmtage.luebeck.de).
© Landeshauptstadt Kiel/Thomas Eisenkrätzer