Etelsen Harvest Festival: Parade with 25 floats, children's disco and tent party
The Etelsen village community and harvest festival takes place from September 25th to 27th at the Dorfland festival grounds.
Etelsen – For three days, Etelsen will be celebrating the harvest, village life, and conviviality. From Friday to Sunday, September 25th to 27th, the Etelsen Village and Harvest Festival invites everyone to the Dorfland festival grounds with a diverse program for all ages. Highlights include a lantern parade and children's disco on Friday, the traditional harvest parade and evening tent party on Saturday, and the church service and family afternoon on Sunday.
The festivities kick off on Friday, September 25th, at 7 p.m. with the lantern parade. It starts at the Etelsen church. The Baden marching band will provide musical accompaniment as children and families make their way through Etelsen with their lanterns.
Also at 7 p.m., the children's disco "The Village Kids Party" begins in the festival tent. DJ Jo' and DJ Finnick, two young DJs themselves, will be spinning the tunes, all from the target audience of six- to fourteen-year-olds. A parents' lounge with cool drinks is available for accompanying moms and dads. The tent will be heated in case of bad weather. Admission is free.
Saturday, September 26th, will be dedicated to the harvest parade. The harvest wreath will be made this Saturday, September 19th, starting at 3 p.m. in the hall at Meyer and Son building materials. Harvest bride Shari Chaibou, along with the harvest crown, will be picked up at Etelsen church at 12:30 p.m. on September 26th by harvest groom Sönke Lohmann and a delegation. Spectators are most welcome! From the church, the harvest couple and their entourage will travel to the starting point of the grand parade at the Easter bonfire meadow by the Alte Aller river.
The procession sets off from the Easter bonfire meadow at 2 p.m. The route, covering approximately two hours and five kilometers, leads through large parts of Etelsen to its destination at Dorfland.
Along the route, the organizers are once again looking forward to welcoming many spectators who will wave to the more than 25 lovingly decorated floats and groups, each with a different theme, and perhaps even snag a souvenir or two. After the arrival around 4 p.m., the program continues in the tent and on the festival grounds. Food, drinks, and the lively atmosphere offer an opportunity to enjoy the afternoon together – or even stay until the evening.
From 8 p.m. onwards, the marquee transforms into a dance floor. At the tent party, DJ Timmy will be spinning his genre- and generation-spanning mix of party classics, current hits, rock, and dance classics. Tickets cost seven euros in advance and ten euros at the door.
Sunday, September 27th, begins at a more relaxed pace. At 11 a.m., the Protestant church in Etelsen invites everyone to a church service in the festival tent. It will be led by Pastor Anna Grundhöfer, with musical accompaniment provided by the shanty choir "Clouds, Wind and Waves." Afterwards, there will be plenty of time for conversation over coffee and cake.
From 12 noon onwards, the festival grounds will be especially reserved for families. Under the motto "Play, chat, feast," the family afternoon is intended to bring together young and old.
In addition to these program highlights, the festival grounds invite visitors to linger and socialize on all three days, offering a children's carousel, a raffle booth, various treats and drinks. It is open Friday from 7 pm to 11 pm, Saturday from 2 pm to 2 am, and Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm.
