Free & outdoors for all
Bootshafensommer 2025

Inner cities are changing. This is nothing new, but it still presents us with challenges time and again. Tradespeople who wanted to prove that local trade is valuable and important presented themselves on the Kiezhelden day at the Bootshafensommer. Interactive, informative and service-orientated, visitors were able to stroll past the various participants, try things out and get into conversation. At the same time, we presented our "Kiel kann Kiez" concept. So there was a lot to discover!

A trip around the world - and at Kiel's Bootshafensommer? No problem. The summer festival organised by Kiel's international associations combined country-specific singing and dancing with culinary specialities and fascinating facts about the various countries and communities. Visitors came along and were carried away and inspired by the diversity.

The recent charity weekend at Kiel's Bootshafensommer was not just about celebrating, but also about doing good: visitors had the opportunity to consciously forgo the deposit when returning their cups and glasses and thus make a donation to the "Löppt mitnanner" project. The local caterers generously supported the campaign and rounded up the amount collected by a further €1,000. True to the motto: deposit good, beer good, everything good!

The proceeds will benefit the "Löppt mitnanner" project, which encourages pupils from secondary school level I onwards to volunteer and at the same time strengthens the future viability of clubs.

The campaign was organised by the nettekieler Ehrenamtsbüro, an institution of the Kreisarbeitsgemeinschaft der freien Wohlfahrtsverbände Kiel - supported by the state capital of Kiel and the Jobcenter Kiel. The central task of the volunteer office is to provide free counselling and referrals for people interested in volunteering in all areas of society - across all generations and for the common good. The office works closely with associations, initiatives, parishes and other organisations that are looking for voluntary support.

In addition, the nettekiel volunteer office promotes projects to strengthen civic engagement, organises events related to volunteering and supports local and regional networks. The aim is to make the diversity of voluntary work visible and to emphasise its importance for society andeach individual.

Once again this year, Kiel's bootshafensommer became a race track for a very special event: the popular duck race attracted numerous visitors and provided excitement, fun and social engagement.

The sponsor race for the large ducks started punctually at 1 pm, followed by the main race at 2 pm, in which many small racing ducks competed for great prizes. The spectators were expressly encouraged to join in the excitement - and did so with great enthusiasm.