Lübeck celebrates its 177th folk festival: colorful parades and a happy atmosphere!

Lübeck celebrates its 177th folk festival: colorful parades and a happy atmosphere!

A colorful hustle and bustle goes through Lübeck's old town today. The 177th Folk and Remembrance Festival began on June 20, 2025 and is attracting thousands of visitors with an impressive parade that took place on Sunday under the motto “Unity in Diversity”. Over 85 floats and groups, including clubs, cultural institutions and music groups, took part. The queer community was particularly highlighted, setting a sign of diversity with a 40-meter-long rainbow flag.

The parade through the old town started at 2 p.m. on Falkenstrasse and was watched with much cheering and enthusiasm by the spectators. The event ensures a lot of activity in Lübeck's city center and is an integral part of the city's annual events calendar. These are the attractions that make the folk festival so special: Celebrations take place across the entire festival area around the music and congress hall every day from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. until June 29th.

A festival with tradition

Folk festivals are deeply rooted in Germany and have a centuries-old tradition. Around 233 million people attend such events across the country every year. Despite a decline in the number of folk festivals, large festivals such as the Lübeck Folk Festival are enjoying growing popularity. The German Showmen's Association, in collaboration with the German Association of Cities, has published a guide to further increase the value and attractiveness of folk festivals. This guide offers municipalities valuable suggestions on how to optimally organize festival events and is available online at Folk festival ABC.

The preparations for the Lübeck Festival are enormous - the Lübecker Nachrichten reports that the city has prepared for a major event that attracts thousands of visitors every year. The big parade is the highlight of the festival and attracts people in droves, while in addition to the various attractions, there are also numerous food stalls and rides waiting for the guests. The organizers of the folk festival were once again expecting a high level of popularity, which makes the festival a lively meeting place for locals and tourists alike.

Investments and challenges

Despite the happy atmosphere at the folk festival, there are also more serious topics in Lübeck. The Neue Lübeck building cooperative is investing an impressive 85 million euros in the modernization of existing buildings by 2024, with the aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2045. However, no new construction projects are planned until 2026, which poses challenges for the city. The Lübeck building association invested over 21 million euros last year, including over 11 million in new buildings, and plans to build at least 50 new apartments every year, supported by subsidies.

In addition, the city is forced to include high provisions for pensions in its budget, with Lübeck's provisions amounting to 65 million euros. This is a direct result of the salary increase for civil servants, which will take effect from November 2024. These financial challenges contrast with the lively festival celebrations and are part of the city's economic plan.

In addition to the cultural festivities, there are also changes in the Lübeck-Lauenburg Protestant church district, where a successor to Provost Petra Kallies, who is retiring in 2026, is being sought. Applications are possible until the end of July, and an election committee will decide on the appointment.

Overall, the folk festival in Lübeck is not only a highlight in the event calendar, but also a reflection of the challenges and opportunities that the city is faced with. It's definitely an event not to be missed!