festivals
Hamburg port birthday is coming to an end
Onlookers watch the traditional tugboat ballet on the Elbe. photo
© Jonas Walzberg/dpa
Normally, Hamburg celebrates the port birthday in May. What is the reason for moving to September?
“Cast off, let’s celebrate again” is the motto of the 833rd Hamburg Port Birthday, which ends on Sunday. The maritime folk festival had to be canceled twice due to Corona, now visitors can expect an ecumenical service on board the frigate “Bayern”, live music on ten stages and a large departure parade on the last of the three event days.
The parade with more than 100 ships forms the conclusion. The four-kilometer promenade along the Elbe is to be celebrated until Sunday evening.
The Hamburg Port Birthday has been celebrated since 1977 and is considered one of the largest port festivals in the world. For the first time in its history, the folk festival will be celebrated in September this year. Next year, the celebrations, which normally attract up to a million visitors to the city, are to take place again in May as usual.
Program overview for the port birthday