International Folk Festival in the North

Maschsee Festival 2017: Take some time to travel around the world!

From August 2 to 20, the 32nd Maschseefest will provide an international stage for vacationers and extend the holiday season around Hannover’s local lake. 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.

Take in the view across Lake Masch, enjoy international food and drinks right on the water, and experience musical highlights under the open sky—it’s sure to put you in a vacation mood. Fun and active events on Lake Masch, along with a variety of attractions for children and families, round out the program and create a vacation atmosphere and a sense of relaxation right in the heart of the city.

“I am particularly pleased that the Maschseefest, arguably the largest open-air party in northern Germany, is increasingly serving as a platform for corporate events, business meetings, and employee gatherings. It offers a unique opportunity to get to know Hannover from a new perspective—business and leisure come together right in the heart of the city,” says Hans Christian Nolte, Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG).

Bar SU-shin — Download for editorial use: Image in print-ready resolution (300 dpi) Copyright: Kevin Münkel

Gastronomy
To the west, the RADIO 21 Lounge offers a fantastic view across the lake. Here, you can enjoy cool drinks right by the water while watching the hustle and bustle on the north shore. At “Maschsee meets Spain,” guests are transported straight to the Mediterranean with paella and Spanish tapas. From the SeeBiergarten and Bolero Island, the journey continues to the north shore: The Maschsee Pavillon by ROBINSON is the ideal spot for cocktails and long drinks with a panoramic view. The Tiroler Seehaus offers a taste of the mountains with Kässpatzn, Schupfnudeln, and Backschinken. Yukon Forest serves Canadian classics like flambéed salmon and steaks from the rotisserie grill. At “Welcome to Miami,” American classics like hot dogs and burgers take center stage, while next door at the “Bähren-Starken” Leuchtturm-Eck, German grill specialties are on the menu. The culinary journey continues southward: Capetown delights visitors’ senses with exotic African dishes, while the Aresto restaurant offers wine-grower’s days and a variety of Mediterranean meat and fish specialties. At the Hellebardier, the Su-shin bar creates plenty of vacation flair with sushi and many other delicacies from Asian cuisine. Fish and meat dishes take center stage at the Sylt Lounge & Madsack See-Salon.

On Rudolf-von-Bennigsen-Ufer, San Francisco treats visitors to street food pizza and pulled pork burgers. Those looking to soak up some maritime flair will be in good hands at Hamborger Veermaster, serving authentic Hamburg Labskaus, or at Sylt am Geibel, with its seafood specialties. New on the east shore (near Geibelstraße) is the See-Wirtschaft: here, the menu features ribs, bread rolls, and various snacks. Things take a French turn at Clichy: at a newly designed stand, visitors can embark on a culinary tour of France. Fancy a quick break along the way around the lake? Relaxation is on offer at Pier 51 under the motto “Small but Nice.” In the Pier Garden, visitors can unwind with local beers and BBQ, and the restaurant offers a special surprise menu for two in addition to its à la carte selection. At Pier Island, about 150 meters south of Pier 51, an open-air staircase is being built where you can enjoy delicious cocktails and wines while lounging in a deck chair.

The next highlight on the agenda is the new Löwenbastion: Healthy Food by Dean & David, Rocky Lobster, Vapiano, and many other dining options can be found here. At the Maschsee South Pier, The Wild Geese spreads Irish cheer and invites visitors to enjoy Irish music and traditional Irish food and drinks.

The tour continues to the exclusive restaurants on the Inselterrassen, which delight the palate with French-Mediterranean dishes. At the Maschseequelle, visitors can once again look forward to meat, fish, and salad specialties.

The newly redesigned West and East Food Courts also offer a wide variety of culinary options. For example, the menus feature Vietnamese specialties, Italian panini, Moroccan falafel, Swabian Dinnede, and French crêpes.

Reservations can be made at www.maschseefest.de/tischreservierung. Regular hours are from 2:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and from 11:00 AM on Sundays. Some stalls also offer a lunch menu during the week.

Music Program
After a culinary stroll around Lake Maschsee, an artistic journey around the world awaits: On the Maschsee Stage on the north shore, as well as on the stages at the new Löwenbastion and the Maschsee Spring, visitors can look forward to a wide variety of concert highlights—featuring national and international singers and musicians. All concerts are free for visitors!

During the three festival weekends, radio stations radio ffn, Antenne Niedersachsen, and RADIO 21 will once again take the stage on the north shore. As is tradition, the ffn hosts will kick things off and guide Hannover through the first two summer nights at Maschsee. With Lions Head (Aug. 4) and Mighty Oaks (Aug. 5), two absolute megastars will take the stage. On the second festival weekend, Antenne Niedersachsen takes the Maschsee stage with comedian Matze Knop (August 12). On Sunday, August 13, at 3 p.m., the starting gun will go off for the Bahlsen “Crazy Crossing” fun boat race, which will be commentated on by the Antenne Niedersachsen hosts. RADIO 21 presents the Bon Jovi tribute band BOUNCE (August 18) on the third weekend, along with Beyond Music and Goldplay, a Coldplay cover band, on Saturday (August 19). 89.0 RTL, with its resident DJs Stevie T. and Marc Radix, will take the reins on the Maschsee stage on the north shore for the first time this year on Wednesdays.

89.0 RTL In The Mix (August 2, 6:00 p.m., Maschsee Stage)

On the other days of the festival, Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG), in cooperation with the Pavillon Cultural Center, will present a diverse mix of international and local artists and bands on the Maschsee Stage. Hagelslag (jazz, soul, funk & groove, Aug. 6), Juliano Rossi (Aug. 6), Emersound (Brazilian grooves meets Latin reggae, Aug. 11), soul control (soul classics from the ’60s and ’70s, Aug. 11), the Knut Richter Swingtett (American swing, Aug. 13), and Marco Heggen (reggae, funk & Latin pop, Aug. 20) are just a few examples of the diverse mix on stage on the north shore.

The new Löwenbastion has also put together a diverse program. On opening night, MUNIQUE (soul, R&B, funk, rock & pop) will take the stage with special guest BRIXX. Under the motto “Unplugged Thursday,” “The Voice of Germany” stars Mic Donet (Aug. 3) and Dimi Rompos (Aug. 10), as well as Vanessa Ekpenyong on Aug. 17, will perform live and unamplified. The series continues with “Thank God it’s Friday,” which kicks off with an open stage for singer-songwriters. On Saturdays, it’s “Rock you Baby”: MIT 18, the Westernhagen cover band (August 5), Heavy Entertainment – a Tribute to Robbie Williams (August 12), Queen Revival Band (August 12), and MUNIQUE with a special guest will rock the new Löwenbastion. Sundays will be a bit more laid-back with “Soul’n Brunch.” Kim Sanders & Band and James Kakande will kick things off on August 6; Maya Fadeeva and the band WANDA will follow on the second weekend, before Jenniffer Kae and MUNIQUE, featuring Vanessa Ekpenyong, Tommy Reeve, Dimi Rompos, Alexandra Prince & BRIXX, ring in the grand finale. On August 8 and 15, the new Löwenbastion will be all about breakdancing, street dance, and hip-hop: starting at 4:00 p.m., the Hanover-based dance school Link2Dance will take the stage with, among other things, a dance class for children ages 4 and up.

With the cover bands performing on the stage at the Maschseequelle, it’s often hard to tell the difference between the original and the cover: Die Toten Ärzte (Aug. 2), BLACK/ROSIE (Aug. 4), and Supernatural Play SANTANA (Aug. 5) will take the stage during the first weekend. Back to the Roots (Aug. 11), QUEEN 2 (Aug. 11), diRE sTRINGS (Aug. 12), and stars of the Hannover rock scene led by Dete Kuhlamm (Aug. 12) have the second weekend firmly in their grasp. On August 18, Mind2Mode will present hits by U2, Depeche Mode, and Simple Minds, before crowd favorite MARIUZZ brings a genuine Westernhagen vibe to the Maschsee on August 19.

Maschseefest Legends on the Park Stage
Under this theme, classic live acts will be performing right next to the Maschseefest at the Gilde Parkbühne this past weekend. Terry Hoax on Friday, August 18, and Torfrock and Lotto King Karl on Saturday.

Cabaret and supporting program

Download for editorial use: Image in print-ready resolution (300 dpi)Copyright: Clown Fussel

On Saturdays and Sundays (except on August 13 for the Bahlsen “Crazy Crossing”), the area at the Stadion pier becomes a venue for spectacular cabaret performances. Sometimes quirky, sometimes daring, sometimes cheeky, sometimes funny, but always professional: Gina Ginella, as a water nymph, has lost her bearings and can’t find her way back to shore (August 5), Arthur captivates with strange unicycle stunts and a doppelgänger who appears out of nowhere (August 12), while Andy Clapp makes objects vanish (August 12). On the final weekend, Bett-Män, illustrious bathers, and Alma Holladrio with her yodeling diploma will be bustling about at Maschsee. Once again, plenty of street performers will mingle with the visitors on the north shore.

The Maschseefest is the place to be for all partygoers in August. At the Hamborger Veermaster, there’s a maritime program featuring shanty and sea shanty choirs, themed evenings dedicated to cult stars Freddy Quinn and Hans Albers, and the popular “Schwofen auf der Tanzfläche” (dancing on the dance floor), which takes place daily starting at 8:00 p.m. in the cabin. Hannover salsa dance clubs present Latin dance shows, including short workshops, every Tuesday and Thursday at the Maschseequelle. Jazz brunch events, such as every Sunday with the Bourbon Skiffle Company in the Pier Garden or on August 13 with the Christian von der Osten Trio in the See-Salon, round out the program.

Children's program
Of course, there’s plenty for the little ones to enjoy, too: at the large children’s play area near the HDI-Arena, Xiè-Xiè Leisure and Experiential Education invites kids to join in on fun hands-on activities. From Friday through Sunday, as well as on Wednesdays (except August 2), a world of fun opens up there from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for all those who love to play and craft. Face painting, craft stations, giant memory, a bouncy castle, and a Bobby Car course for the little ones—beach chairs and coffee for the grown-ups. Every Wednesday, you can try out fun exercises together with the KIYO children’s yoga school. Plus, the duo Einfach Riesig, Monsieur Momo, and Clown Fussel, under the direction of the Pavillon Cultural Center, will keep the atmosphere lively.

Maschsee Pirates
Just in time for the start of the 2017 Maschsee Festival, the beloved pirates are back on the high seas. Captain Zopf (Elisa Salamanca), along with ship’s boy Mathjes (Mathias Lück) and stowaway Clown Fidolo (Horst Schneider), is already looking forward to new adventures—and especially to coming up with all sorts of pirate shenanigans again. Together with the parrot Bounty, the pirate girls, and helmsman Achim from the üstra, they set sail, sing offbeat pirate songs, and, with a little luck, might even find the key to the treasure chest. (Dates: August 3, 8, 10, 15, and 17 at 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.)

On the lake
In addition to the attractions along the waterfront promenades, exciting events and activities will take place at the festival’s main attraction, Lake Maschsee. On August 5, the evening torchlight swim—organized by the Hannover Diving Club and featuring over 100 divers from Lower Saxony—will captivate spectators with its romantic charm. On August 13, the starting signal will be given for the Bahlsen Crazy Crossing fun boat race, organized by Antenne Niedersachsen. On the festival’s final weekend, the NKR will be a guest at the Maschsee Festival. 100 large Big Ducks and 5,000 small rubber ducks will take part in the 8th NKR Duck-Fun(d)racing against leukemia (August 19). New this year: the mayor, the regional president, as well as the district mayors and mayors of the regional municipalities will compete in a special race with “sharks” for a good cause.

Social Partner – SOS Children's Villages
For the first time, SOS Children’s Villages will be participating as a social partner with its own information booth on the north shore of the Maschsee Festival. At select food and beverage locations, visitors will also have the opportunity to donate their bottle deposits directly to SOS Children’s Villages, thereby helping children in Germany. “The opportunity to present SOS Children’s Villages at a festival of this magnitude is a huge stroke of luck for us. We are very grateful to the organizers for their comprehensive support and look forward to many wonderful encounters at the Maschsee,” says Christine Rust, Head of the Friends and Sponsors Team.

Travel Blogger Meetup in Hannover
On August 5, the German Travel Bloggers’ Meetup will take place in Hannover for the first time. Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH (HMTG) has received 40 registrations for the event, which is now fully booked. Planned activities include a tour of Linden and the Nordstadt district under the theme “Street Art and Food,” a visit to the Erlebnis-Zoo, and a workshop at the Cumberlandsche Galerie. The meetup will conclude with a group visit to the Maschsee Festival.

Ideas Boulevard@Maschseefest
On August 15, the Creative Mile is all about touching, trying out, and getting involved! From Freaky Fashion, music and tax apps to 360° virtual reality action films, there’s a wide variety of innovations to see and experience here. In addition, workshops and presentations will address everyday questions about the digital world, such as how to take better photos with a smartphone, how search engine optimization works, or how to create your own website. There will also be infotainment offerings and startup pitches. The Groove Garden will serve as a conference room: digital thought leaders will discuss topics with representatives from politics and business here. At the Maschsee Pavilion, the program is geared toward companies. Participants include, for example, üstra, Heise Verlag, the Madsack Media Group, Geheimpunkt, and many more.

Ideen-Boulevard is an event organized by the kre|H|tiv Network Hannover with support from Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH.

The App – The Mobile Maschsee Festival
In 2017, guests can once again conveniently plan their visit using their smartphones and enjoy an interactive experience. The new app, developed specifically for the event, will be available for free in the Google Play Store and the Apple iTunes Store starting August 2. The app provides practical information about the various stages, artist performance times, and the supporting program, as well as an interactive site map that displays locations via GPS.

New bike path
To ensure smooth bicycle traffic along the northern part of Lake Maschsee on Rudolf-von-Bennigsen-Ufer during setup, the Lake Maschsee Festival, and teardown, the city is establishing a dedicated bike path that is physically separated from the rest of the road traffic. From July 20 to August 28, the bike path leading into the city on the east side of Rudolf-von-Bennigsen-Ufer between Altenbekener Damm and Kurt-Schwitters-Platz will be relocated to the roadway.

Service:
For questions about the Maschsee Festival, please call the citizen hotline. Michael Mellenthin can be reached at 0151 – 21 13 45 65 until August 27.
Especially for the Maschseefest, üstra bus line 267 will run between the Kröpcke stop and the beach. Additional stops will be set up along the waterfront promenade for this purpose.

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 can be found at: www.maschseefest.de/presse

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

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