The 31st Maschsee Festival in Hanover has begun!

© HMTG / Wyrwa

Through August 14, Lower Saxony’s largest folk festival will bring a vacation vibe to the heart of the city with international cuisine, free concert highlights, and a program of activities for children, cabaret, and parties.

At 6 p.m., the moment had finally arrived: Hannover’s Mayor Stefan Schostok, Oliver Roggisch, a member of the German national handball team’s Olympic squad, and Hans Christian Nolte of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG) officially opened the 31st Maschsee Festival. Surrounded by thousands of spectators and glittering water creatures, the two kicked off the 19-day festival centered around Hanover’s Haussee. Accompanied by sunny samba rhythms, Mermaid Kat, seahorse riders, Ozeania, Poseidon, King Krebs, and 40 other performers welcomed visitors to this year’s “Voyage Around the World.”

“We’re looking forward to 19 days of a relaxed vacation atmosphere, a culinary and musical journey around the world, and many other attractions around Lake Maschsee,” says Hans Christian Nolte, managing director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG), who is looking forward to welcoming visitors to the Maschseefest from the Hannover region and far beyond.

Once again this year, the Maschseefest is ready to take you on a culinary journey through a wide variety of countries: You can discover the cuisines of East Asia, Italy, Mexico, Hungary, France, Spain, Germany, and the Caribbean. The restaurateurs look forward to welcoming their “passengers” aboard the Maschseefest with traditional dishes, exotic drinks, and delicious cocktails.

© HMTG / Wyrwa

19 days of a full schedule

After the culinary voyage around the world comes the artistic one: 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 stage at the Maschsee on the north shore. Eurovision finalist Jamie-Lee from Bennigsen will be singing her dark, melancholic ballads today starting at 8 p.m. On August 3, the band Hit Radio Show—featuring nine musicians, 200 costumes, and over 40 of the biggest hits by the Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Nena, and Queen—will take the stage. On August 10, the station will present Voodoo Lounge, one of the best Rolling Stones cover bands.

During the three festival weekends, private radio stations will once again take over the Maschsee 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 original music with quirky stage performances. On Sunday, August 7, at 3 p.m., the “Crazy Crossing” funboat race will kick off, with commentary provided 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 (August 12) as well as The Jetlags and the cover band Reckless Roses (August 13).

© HMTG / Wyrwa

Cabaret and children's programming

On Saturdays and Sundays, the area next to the Maschsee Pavilion becomes the stage for spectacular cabaret. Sometimes quirky, sometimes daring, sometimes cheeky, but always professional: Björn de Vil showcases his breakneck acrobatics, Victor and Katharina combine dance-like acrobatics with aerial acts, and the clowns Alex and Joschi have their audience in stitches. Of course, even the youngest visitors are on board the Maschseefest boat and are treated to an exciting program on the large children’s playground at the HDI Arena. From Friday through Sunday, as well as on Wednesdays, a world of fun opens up there from 2 to 7 p.m., featuring a bounce house, face-painting booth, giant memory game, and a Bobby Car course.

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, smooth ride with a gentle 360-degree rotation makes a visit to the Skyliner an unforgettable experience for the whole family.

Visit Berlin - The German Capital Makes a Guest Appearance at Maschsee

On the sun deck between Pier 51 and the Löwenbastion, you can take your first trip to the capital without ever leaving the Maschseefest. Here, you’ll find not only a cozy lounge to relax in and delicious, authentic Berlin currywurst, but also virtual reality headsets that let you enjoy a 360° view of Berlin.

© HMTG / Wyrwa

The App — The Maschsee Festival on the Go

In 2016, guests 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 on the Google Play Store and the Apple iTunes Store. The app provides practical information about the various stages and artists, the supporting program, and an interactive site map that displays locations via GPS.

For more information about the program, visit www.maschseefest.de.

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

Published: July 26, 2016