Ahoy, Maschsee Festival 2016: All aboard for a trip around the world!

Over the course of 19 days, visitors to Lower Saxony’s largest folk festival will have the opportunity to embark on a culinary and artistic journey around the world.

Local culinary delights, open-air musical highlights, sports activities on the Maschs ee, and a wide range of attractions for children and families are sure to put you in a vacation mood. The Maschseefest is ready to take you on a journey around the world.

“We’re looking forward to a wonderful Maschsee Festival 2016 with a relaxed vacation atmosphere, a culinary and musical journey around the world, and plenty of attractions around the Maschsee,” says Hans Christian Nolte, Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG), who is looking forward to welcoming visitors from the region and far beyond.

Maschsee Skyliner on the plaza in front of the HDI Arena

It’s back: the Maschsee Skyliner! With a total height of 81 meters, it is the tallest and most modern mobile observation tower in the world. The fully air-conditioned cabin, which features barrier-free access, offers visitors a view stretching up to 12 km across the city’s landmarks. The slow and smooth ride with a gentle 360-degree rotation makes a visit to the Skyliner an unforgettable experience for the whole family—new perspectives and photos of the Maschsee Festival guaranteed!

Gastronomy

Cast off: The first stop could be the Linden Steg, which offers a great view of the Maschseefest from the west bank. Next up is the Puerto Español – Ibiza Lounge: In this Spanish-themed harbor, guests are transported to the Mediterranean with the sounds of salsa and traditional tapas. The next stop is the north shore, which captivates with its variety of international delicacies: the SU-shin bar showcases the delights of Asian cuisine, and Welcome to Miami! serves American classics like hamburgers and fiery spare ribs. The journey continues to Italy at Smeraldo, where the menu features pizza, antipasti, and shrimp skewers, while next door, the Aresto restaurant delights the senses with wine tastings and a variety of Mediterranean meat and fish specialties. At the Hellebardier, Costa-Mekito brings plenty of vacation flair with its exotic pasta dishes. In addition to international delights, however, German cuisine is also well-represented on the north shore: the SeeBiergarten and Zum “Bähren-Starken” Leuchtturm-Eck are recommended as popular spots for beer and grilled specialties.

The local culinary scene is further highlighted by the Bavarian classics at the Seehaus Beer Garden and the fish and meat dishes at the Sylt Lounge & Madsack See-Salon. Fruity cocktails are available at BoleroIsland on the lake terraces as well as at the Maschsee Pavilion.

After an eventful stay on the north shore, the Maschseefest boat sets sail again, heading for Cuba! At the Rudolf-von-Bennigsen-Ufer, the Caribbean Village treats visitors to chicken curry and Cuba Libre. Those looking to soak up some maritime flair will be in good hands at the Hamborger Veermaster or Sylt am Geibel, which impress with their traditional seafood delicacies. Things take a French turn at Clichy, which spoils gourmets with lamb chops and scallops. Fancy a little breather on the long journey? Relax at Pier 51, which first invites you to enjoy a burger and then to unwind in the Piergarten.

Visit Berlin - The German Capital Visits Maschsee

The next shore excursion is just around the corner: on the sun deck between Pier 51 and the Löwenbastion, you can take a quick trip to the capital for the first time without leaving the Maschseefest. Here, you’ll find not only a cozy lounge to relax in and delicious authentic Berlin currywurst, but also state-of-the-art virtual reality headsets that let you enjoy a 360° view of Berlin.

© Kevin Münkel

Next on the itinerary is the Löwenbastion, where the Rocky Lobster and Bavaria Royal on the east bank serve Upper Bavarian delicacies and a wide selection of fish. Those who want to experience authentic brewing craftsmanship should stop by the 2nd Löwenbastion Beer Festival, featuring Hanoverian breweries such as Gilde, Herrenhäuser, Brauhaus Ernst August, and Meiers Lebenslust, from August 5 to 7.

The Maschsee South Pier spreads Irish cheer with the Temple Bar and invites visitors to enjoy flatbread, pancakes, and fish & chips. The journey continues to the exclusive dining experience at the Inselterrassen, which delights the palate with French-Mediterranean dishes. We then drop anchor once again in front of the “Caribbean” at the Maschsee spring, where visitors can look forward to Caribbean meat, fish, and salad specialties.

The West and East Food Miles offer even more delicacies from near and far. For example, the menus feature Danish hot dogs, Moroccan falafel, Hungarian striezel, Italian panini, and French galettes.

During happy hour, daily from 5 to 7 p.m., cocktails cost €4.50 at select bars on the north shore. The participating cocktail bars are: Bar SU-shin, Welcome to Miami, Smeraldo, and Sylt-Lounge.

Reservations can be made at www.hannover.de/maschseefest/tischreservierung. Regular hours are from 2:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 11:00 a.m. on Sundays.

Music program

Following the culinary voyage around the world comes an artistic journey around the globe: On the Maschsee Stage on the north shore, as well as on the stages at Temple Bar, the Löwenbastion, and the Maschseequelle, visitors can look forward to a wide variety of concert highlights—featuring national and international singers and musicians. All concerts are free for visitors!

New this Wednesday: For the first time this year, NDR 1 Niedersachsen is taking the reins on the Maschsee stage on the north shore. The station has lined up a real highlight for the opening night: Eurovision Song Contest finalist Jamie-Lee from Bennigsen will perform her dark, melancholic ballads starting at 8 p.m. On August 3, the band Hit Radio Show will take the stage with nine musicians, 200 costumes, and over 40 of the biggest hits from the Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Nena, and Queen. On August 10, the station will present Voodoo Lounge, one of the best Rolling Stones cover bands.

During the three festival weekends, the private radio stations radio ffn, Antenne Niedersachsen, and RADIO 21 will once again take the stage on the north shore. radio ffn kicks things off with the German pop-rock band Stanfour (July 29) and singer Adesse (July 30). On the second festival weekend, Antenne Niedersachsen takes the Maschsee stage with the Big Maggas (Aug. 6). The “world’s most beautiful boy band” combines handmade music with quirky show elements. On Sunday, Aug. 7, at 3 p.m., the starting gun will go off for the “Crazy Crossing” funboat race, which will be commentated on by the Antenne Niedersachsen hosts. On the third weekend of the festival, RADIO 21 will get the crowd going with Re-Play and Beyond Music (Aug. 12) as well as The Jetlags and the Guns N’ Roses cover band Reckless Roses (Aug. 13).

On the other days of the festival, Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG), in cooperation with the Pavillon Cultural Center, will present a colorful mix of international and local bands and sounds on the Maschsee Stage. The musical styles range from Yapuso La Marrana (Latin rock, Aug. 5) and Armando Quattrone & Band (vintage hits, reggae, and tarantella, Aug. 5) to Romeo Franz & Ensemble (Hot Club de France, Aug. 7) and Son del Nene (Cuban sounds, Aug. 7) to Radio Tropical (Caribbean rock & pop, Aug. 14) and Riddim Posse (reggae and calypso, Aug. 14). Representing Hannover are the FFB Big Band (July 31), soulcontrol (July 31), Juliano Rossi (August 7), the Knut Richter Swingtet (August 14), and Andy Lee & his Rockin’ Country Men (August 14).

Hannover Concerts has once again put together a strong lineup for the NDR 1 Kultbühne at the Löwenbastion. Acts like Wingenfelder (July 27), Carlotta & The Truman Show (July 29), Wolfgang Grieger and the High Nees (July 30), Terry Hoax (August 5), Los Tumpolos (Aug. 7), and Rauschenberger (Aug. 13). Those who want to sing along and party with top-notch cover bands will be thrilled by the following performances: Remode (July 29), Die Rexis (July 30), U2 Experience (July 31), ABBA Unlimited (Aug. 6), Mr. Rod (Aug. 12), and Vivien – Helene Fischer Covershow (Aug. 13). Of course, regulars like Lotto King Karl (Aug. 3), Torfrock (Aug. 10), and Sweety Glitter & The Sweethearts (Aug. 14) are also sure to be part of the lineup this year.

Temple Bar at the South Pier: Fans of folk music and Guinness can once again immerse themselves in the Irish way of life here. The festival kicks off with The Keltics (July 27) rocking the stage with Irish folk, and on the final day, the Irish Bastards will deliver authentic Irish sounds (August 14). There will be covers galore to satisfy any rock fan’s heart: Tribute to Status Quo Band (July 29), Queen Revival Band (July 30), Regatta de Blanc (July 31), and Mit 18 (August 6). Bands from the Hannover region are represented by the EMMA H.art Band (Aug. 6), Rockkantine (Aug. 10), and Memorie (Aug. 13). The popular Table Quiz evenings with Andy on Mondays (Aug. 1 and 8) also add variety to the program.

Even with the cover bands performing at the Maschseequelle in the Caribbean, it’s often hard to tell the difference between the original and the cover: Achtung Baby (July 27), Queens of Pop (July 30), Simply Turner (July 31), Quotime (Aug. 7), The Beatles Connection (Aug. 10), Black Rosie (Aug. 13), Sting2play (Aug. 13), and White Purple (Aug. 14). But fans of German rock and pop greats will also get their money’s worth: Die Toten Ärzte (Aug. 3), Mariuzz with longtime Westernhagen drummer Charly T (Aug. 5), and Grönland (Aug. 12).

Cabaret and supporting program

On Saturdays and Sundays (except on August 7 for “Crazy Crossing”), the area at the Stadion pier becomes a venue for spectacular cabaret performances. Sometimes offbeat, sometimes daring, sometimes cheeky, but always professional: Björn de Vil showcases his breakneck artistry not only on the tightrope but also on the world’s only 5-wheeled bike (July 30), Victor and Katharina combine dance-like acrobatics with aerial artistry (July 30 and 31), and “Arthur kommt vorbei” delivers spectacular nonsense in, around, and on top of his compact car (July 31).

© Crazy Crossing

Andy Snatch sets up his slackline (Aug. 6), Mariann Engels wows the crowd with her rope artistry (Aug. 6), the acrobatic clowns Alex and Joschi have the audience in stitches (Aug. 13 and 14), and La Tanik brings a stack of hula hoops, a dash of dance, and plenty of sex appeal (Aug. 14)In addition, plenty of street performers will once again mingle with visitors on the north shore.

The Maschsee Festival is the place to be for all night owls in August. Here, people dance to the hottest dancefloor beats spun by the city’s best DJs. You can also shake a leg at the salsa introductory classes at the Puerto Español Ibiza Lounge or at “Hannover tanzt am See” at the Löwenbastion. At the Hamborger Veermaster, the program is rounded out by shanty choirs and dancing on the dance floor by the lake—offering activities for all ages.

Children's program

Of course, even the youngest visitors are on board the Maschseefest boat, and Xiè-Xiè Freizeit- und Erlebnispädagogik has put together an exciting program for them on the large children’s play area at the HDI Arena. From Friday through Sunday, as well as on Wednesdays (except July 27), a world of fun opens up there from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m., featuring a bounce house, face-painting station, giant memory game, and a Bobby Car course. In addition, Clown Fidolo and Clown Fussel, under the direction of the Pavillon Cultural Center, will ensure a lively atmosphere.

© Clown Fussel

Mathias Lück will be spinning musical sailor’s yarns on July 31. On August 13, Zweistrichbackbord will perform a concert-theater piece for pirates of all ages at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., and on August 14, the duo Einfach Riesig will be recruiting new pirates for their crew. To go along with this, the Maschsee pirate ship “üstralala” will once again set sail on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Here, budding pirates will experience exciting stories at sea together with the new captain and her crew.

On the lake

In addition to the bustling activity along the waterfront promenades, exciting events and activities take place at the festival’s main attraction, Lake Maschsee. On August 6, the evening torchlight swim—organized by the Hannover Diving Club with over 100 divers from Lower Saxony—captivates spectators with its romantic atmosphere. One day later, the starting signal will be given for the Crazy Crossing fun boat race, organized by Antenne Niedersachsen. On the festival’s final weekend, 100 large and 5,000 small rubber ducks will take part in the 7th NKR Duck-Fun(d)racing against leukemia (August 13), quacking away for a good cause.

My Hannover Hotel 2016: A Visit to Your City

Exclusively for all residents of the Hannover region: For €16 per hotel star per night from August 4–8, stay at selected hotels in your own vacation region and enjoy the comforts of a hotel stay. More than 25 hotels with a total of over 1,500 rooms are participating. The selected hotel rooms can be booked on the online portal at www.hannover.de/zu-gast.

© HVG / Kevin Münkel

The App – The Mobile Maschsee Festival

In 2016, visitors can once again conveniently plan their visit to the Maschseefest using their smartphones and enjoy an interactive experience. The app, developed specifically for the event, is available for free in the Google Play Store and the Apple iTunes Store. The latest Maschseefest program will be available starting July 15, 2016. The app offers practical information about the various stages, the artists’ performance times, the supporting program, and an interactive site map for displaying locations via GPS.

The Maschseefest has been organized by Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH since 2011 and, as Lower Saxony’s largest folk festival, attracted around 2.25 million visitors during its anniversary year.

For more information about the Maschseefest and the full program, visit www.maschseefest.de or check out the event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hannovermaschseefest.

Photos for editorial use are available at www.hannover.de/maschseefest/presse

For anyone who would like to combine the Maschseefest with a short trip to Hanover, Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH (HMTG) has put together a special package and a discounted group offer. For more information, visit www.hannover.de/maschseefest/erlebnispakete.

Published: July 13, 2016

© Kevin Münkel

Country & gastronomy concepts

Locations & Restaurants

All restaurants and venues at a glance – the Maschseefest offers an international flair.

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