Top 10
Highlights at Kieler Woche

Fancy a culinary world tour? Well then, off to the International Market! For over 40 years, more than 30 nations have been showcasing their cuisine here, offering a wealth of aromas, flavours and experiences. The really lovely thing about it is that Rathausplatz becomes not just a place to eat and drink, but also a hub for cultural exchange and socialising. It’s well worth a visit!

📍 Town Hall Square

The Sunexpress Ocean Funpark is the action-packed place to be right in the heart of the city – more specifically, at the marina. Anyone stopping off here can party to their heart’s content, relax and try out the latest trend sports on the water. How about a go at flyboarding, for example? Breathtaking shows and competitions add to the excitement. As well as the sporting activities, there’s also a wide range of culinary delights on offer.

📍 Marina

Going to concerts can usually be quite an expensive pastime – but not at Kieler Woche! In 2026, the stage programme will once again offer a colourful selection of free concerts to attract music fans of all genres. You can find the full stage programme here.

It’s time to head for the skies: during Kiel Week, visitors will once again have the chance to climb the Town Hall tower (well, take the lift up, actually) and experience Kiel from a height of 67 metres. From up there, you’ll be treated to a stunning panoramic view of the city centre, the fjord and the cheerful, lively hustle and bustle of Kiwo!

📍 Town Hall

ℹ️ You can get tickets for the Town Hall tower ride here.

Now things are getting magical: the Kieler Woche Open-Air Theatre whisks you away to an enchanting world beneath the treetops of Hiroshima Park. Here, puppeteers create magical moments with their performances – for children and adults alike. The varied programme offers a mix of classic fairy tales and modern productions, accompanied by concerts from small ensembles of the Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra. In the evenings, the park is transformed into a stage for jazz music, dance and comedy. Head over there!

📍 Hiroshima Park

ℹ️ The full programme is available here.

If you’d like to experience Kiel Week from a completely different perspective, the Willer Balloon Sail is just the thing for you! And for those who find the huge balloons impressive but would rather stay on the ground, we recommend the spectacular Night Glows, where the balloons glow in every colour and, set to music, transform the sky into a sparkling sea of lights. This year, the Night Glow will take place on 19 (Friday), 20 (Saturday), 24 (Wednesday), 26 (Friday) and 27 June (Saturday), starting at 10.30 pm each evening.

📍 Nordmarksportfeld

The Classic Open Air on the Town Hall Stage has been a musical highlight of Kiel Week for years, delighting audiences with a mix of classical and modern sounds. Under the theme ‘Reggae meets Classic’ , Cologne-based reggae artist Gentleman will be performing on the Town Hall stage this year. To ensure that all fans can enjoy the concert on Town Hall Square, the performance will be interpreted live in sign language for the deaf.

📍 Town Hall Square

🗓️ 26 June 2026, 8 pm

The sailing fireworks display on the outer fjord in front of Schilksee Olympic Harbour traditionally marks the changeover between sailing classes and offers a truly beautiful light show – best viewed, of course, from the Olympic Centre and Schilksee Beach.

📍 Schilksee Olympic Centre

🗓️ Wednesday, 24 June 2026, 11 pm

The Sports and Community Park in Gaarden, a hub on the eastern shore, invites visitors to enjoy music, creative hands-on activities and new encounters throughout this year’s Kiel Week. A magnificent Baroque fireworks display will bring the evening’s musical programme to a spectacular close.

📍 Gaarden Sports and Community Park

🗓️ Saturday, 27 June 2026, 11 pm

Another highlight is the AIDA closing show, which brings Kiel Week to a close with fireworks, a drone and laser show, and additional light and fog effects.

📍 Kiellinie

🗓️ Sunday, 28 June 2026, 11 pm

By the way: in cooperation with the Schleswig-Holstein State Forestry Department, 4,000 ‘climate trees’ are being planted to offsetthe CO₂ emissions from the shows. Since 2021, the fireworks displays have been reduced by 30 per cent.

The maritime highlight of Kiel Week is the impressive windjammer sailing parade. Around 130 fascinating traditional and steam-powered vessels, as well as numerous private boats, bring the Kiel Fjord to life. This maritime spectacle can be enjoyed wonderfully from the shore – but if you’d prefer to experience it from the water, there are plenty of different boats you can sail on.

ℹ️ Click here for offers and to book.

You can find even more highlights on the water in our blog post TOP 10 Maritime Experiences at Kiel Week.

The Woderkant Festival brings that festival atmosphere right to the Kiellinie and entices visitors with a varied programme: from the finest music and creative workshops to delicious street food. And even though the line-up is designed for spectators, you’re also welcome to join in at Woderkant! Perhaps you’d like to try your hand at weaving flower crowns or painting skateboard decks? Or maybe take a bachata class?

📍 Kiellinie, near the Rudergesellschaft Germania

🗓️ 19 to 28 June 2026

ℹ️ You can find the full line-up here.

Every year, the play area at Krusenkoppel is regarded as the Kiwo highlight for children. It’s a huge, open creative space where they can build, paint, get muddy and play to their heart’s content. Under the theme ‘Secrets of the Night’, the Spiellinie team from the vhs Art College joins all the children in searching for the hidden treasures of the darkness. And there’s plenty to discover at the Krusenkoppel: a walk-through shooting star, a felted dark forest with bats and little night-time ghosts, and a huge wooden planetarium. As always at the Spiellinie, all workshops, activities, concerts and performances are free of charge.

⏰ The Spiellinie is open daily during Kiel Week from 2 pm to 6 pm; at the weekend, you can even start painting, crafting and playing from as early as 11 am.

📍 Krusenkoppel