Laternenfest

In the organizer's words:

The most beautiful folk and local festival in Central Germany. In addition to many hands-on activities, a great program is offered on many stages.

The city traditionally celebrates its biggest event on the last weekend in August. Between Ziegelwiese and Peißnitzinsel, a varied program of live music, art, hands-on activities and the classic lantern parade beckons. As the sun slowly sets, the mixture of light, water, landscape and music unfolds its full magic.

The roots of the festival go back a long way and are inextricably linked to the history and customs of the Pfänner and salt boilers - the Halloren. The forerunner of the Lantern Festival was the flower parade. The idea for the Lantern Festival came from the Halle Economic and Transport Association in 1928. The often sung-about beauty of the Saale valley was to be put in the "right light" and used for the city's transport advertising. The previously passive walkers, especially the children, were to become active festival participants.

The festival was postponed to the last weekend in August and moved to the evening hours so that the 30,000 cane lanterns distributed could be shown to their best advantage. Today, even more lights and lanterns adorn the Saale valley between Saaleaue and Giebichenstein Castle than back then.