Ascension Day in Hamburg: marvel, experience and enjoy at the 835th HAFENGEBURTSTAG HAMBURG
Hamburg, 11.04.2024 (HHT) - Hamburg invites you to the 835th HAFENGEBURTSTAG HAMBURG from 9 to 12 May. On the long Ascension Day weekend, it's ‘cast off’ for the four-day maritime birthday celebration with ships from all over the world. Visitors can look forward to a packed programme with many highlights, such as the arrival and departure parade, the unique tugboat ballet and free live concerts on numerous open-air stages.
From the fish auction hall to the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the banks of the Elbe are transformed into a huge festival landscape for the world's largest harbour festival. With activity areas for families and many open-air concerts and live acts, the event offers unforgettable moments along the Elbe and a non-stop programme for maritime fans, families, culture and concert lovers.
Ship parades, dancing tugboats and guests from all over the world
The HAFENGEBURTSTAG HAMBURG traditionally begins with the international ecumenical service in the main church of St. Michaelis on 9 May at 2 pm. The official opening by the First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Dr Peter Tschentscher, on the museum ship ‘Rickmer Rickmers’ will be followed at 4 pm by the grand entry parade with hundreds of ships, led by the frigate ‘Hamburg’.
On Friday evening, the music plays on the Elbe: with ‘Elbe in Concert - The Spectacular Birthday Show with Fireworks’, visitors can look forward to a big surprise show with sensational fireworks at 8.45 pm. A gigantic floating stage transforms the Elbe to the sound of a special soundtrack into a dreamlike sea of lights with a unique show programme as the centrepiece.
This year, the unique tugboat ballet will take place on Saturday at 5 pm. The harbour tugs sway on the Elbe in front of the jetties and pirouette to well-known melodies.
The Elbe is transformed into a festival stage for the harbour birthday
Another highlight will follow on Saturday evening at 22:30 with a magical light illumination presented by AIDA Cruises. The focus of this combination of light, music and drone show will be the cruise ship ‘AIDAprima’, which will cast a new light on everything in the heart of the harbour. In addition to Sido, Culcha Candela, Gentlemen and Stefanie Heinzmann, a special music act will also be performing on the floating festival stage in the middle of the Elbe that evening: International house music star DJ ‘Alle Farben’ will provide musical accompaniment to the light show.
The harbour festival will conclude on Sunday at 5:30 pm with the big departure parade with maritime star guests such as the Polish 3-masted full-rigged ship ‘Dar Mlodziezy’ and the tall ship ‘Alexander Humboldt II’.
The new surveying, wreck search and research vessel ‘Atair’ from the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency and the research vessel ‘Uthörn’ from the Alfred Wegner Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research will also be taking part for the first time. Other museum and traditional ships will be moored in the harbour throughout the weekend and several cruise ships will be arriving and departing - including the ‘AIDAprima’.
All information about the harbour birthday highlights can be found here: www.hamburg-tourism.de/sehen-erleben/veranstaltungen/hafengeburtstag-hamburg/