Kiel Week, or Kieler Woche, is held each year in late June in Kiel, and it is all about big festivals, loud concerts with famous bands, delicious food from all over Europe, spectacular fireworks displays, and, of course, fascinating ship races. Free Kiel Festival attracts many German and international sailing ships as it is one of the largest ship conventions in Germany. More than 100 yachts and traditional ships take part in the Tall Ships Parade before the Kiel Week closing day.
Kiel Week (Kieler Woche) 2024 Program
The festival, organized by the Norddeutscher Regattaverein, Yacht Club of Kiel, Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee, and Hamburger Sailing Club includes different music, dances, carnival-type rides, and lots of fun. It includes different music, dances, carnival-type rides, and other activities.
The 2024 Kiel Week features many fun and delightful activities, like the Internationale Willer Balloon Sail, the exhibition “Dream Pictures,” the KYC summer garden, the Open Ship fleet parade, the KiWo AfterShow, an International Cities Forum, the SchietwetterCup game, the Aftershow Party Dangerzone 80er/90er, Björn de Vil Stilt Theater performances, the Woderkant Festival, a Kanu-Polo Turnier, a planting campaign for children, the Kiel Week Adventure Worlds for families, the MUDDI Market festive, the Asmus Island performances, live music, sailing camp, and much more.
Kiel Week Hours
The event kicks off at 7:15 pm, followed by the customary toasting at 7:30 p.m., accompanied by the maritime time signal "three double chimes and one single chime." Lastly, the typhoon signal, a sequence of long-short-short-long blasts, signals "Cast off!" Kiel Week (Kieler Woche) runs on weekdays from 11 am to midnight; on Fridays and Saturdays, events end at 1 am.
Most races begin at the Harbour of Schilksee, the center of most sporting activities during the festival. Annually the races put together 2,000 ships with 5,000 sailors and more than 3 million visitors.
