Scharmbeck – Harvest Festival and Cultural History

The harvest festival shapes Scharmbeck’s culture with its own four-day rhythm. The parade, straw castle and long-standing election traditions give the event a distinctive character; there are also special activities for children.

A Festival with a Long Tradition

The Scharmbeck Harvest Festival takes place every year over four days around the first Sunday in September. The tradition dates back to 1949. The themes of the harvest floats and the people taking part in the parade can vary from year to year.

Harvest Floats, Music and Activities for Children

The parade features around 20 elaborately decorated themed harvest floats. Most are pulled by vintage tractors; marching bands and groups on foot also take part. In this way, harvest motifs come together with music and a parade whose details may vary.

A straw castle covering around 300 square metres is another feature of the festival. Inside, there are tunnels, alcoves and caves made from straw bales. The recurring children's program includes free bouncy attractions, climbing, an arts and crafts workshop, and face painting. The specific activities may vary from year to year.

Election Traditions with a History of Their Own

The festival includes the annual election of a local king and queen. This adult tradition has been in place since 1949. A children's king and queen are also elected during the children's afternoon; the tradition of electing children dates back to 1955. The festival thus brings together two election traditions with different starting dates.

The Silberhof at the Kiekeberg Open-Air Museum

The Silberhof connects Scharmbeck with the Kiekeberg Open-Air Museum: the building, constructed in 1612, comes from Scharmbeck and was moved there. The museum showcases more than 40 historic buildings and gardens across twelve hectares. Its focus is the cultural history of the Winsen marshes and the northern Lüneburg Heath. The exhibits also include gardens typical of their time and domesticated animals. The permanent exhibition “Rural Life in the 1950s” explores regional developments from 1945 to 1965.

Cultural History in Winsen (Luhe)

In Winsen (Luhe), the historic Marstall offers another cultural highlight. The half-timbered building, constructed around 1600, houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the region and the town of Winsen, from the Stone Age to the present day. The exhibition also covers the valuable embroidery and inlaid work of the Winsen marshes, and features multimedia and interactive stations. A museum exhibition on the Reformation and the Wars of Religion is located in the tower of Winsen Castle, which is used as an outpost of the museum.

Getting to the Festival and Planning Your Stay

To reach the harvest festival, take the A39 to the Winsen-West exit. Visitors arriving from the south via the A7 are directed to the Thieshope exit and then through Pattensen. These directions are for getting to the festival. Check traffic conditions and possible roadworks before setting off.

The festival dates are a useful starting point for planning accommodation: decide which of the four festival days you would like to attend, and check the dates for the relevant year. This will help you plan your travel dates around the parade or children's afternoon.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Tespe, Toppenstedt, Wenzendorf, Hanstedt, Hollenstedt, Eyendorf, Appel, Hittfeld.

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