Herring days in Kappeln
Popular outings in the north were cancelled
11/23/2025 – 06:23Reading time: 2 minutes
The decision has been made: Vulture Days in Kappeln will not be held in 2026. This means the end of a popular contact for day-trippers in Hamburg – albeit with a positive outlook.
It takes about two hours to travel from Hamburg to Kappeln, a small town on the Schlei in Schleswig-Holstein. Kappeln Vulture Day traditionally takes place there year after year and usually attracts many visitors from the Hanseatic city. However, the event will be canceled in 2026. The organizers confirmed this via the website and social media.
“It was not easy for us to convey this message – because we know how much this festival belongs to Kappeln and how many people associate it with moments of the heart,” he said in a statement. The decision was taken after a long process. The small town’s economic committee has agreed to this.
According to NDR, the event will be canceled because the city’s events budget will be lower in 2026. Therefore, the city supports herring days with 150,000 euros per year. However, for the coming year, only an amount of 100,000 euros is available – for all events.
Kappeln deputy mayor Kevin Sander (CDU) was quoted by “NDR” as saying: “Herring days are included in the so-called voluntary benefits in the budget. This is the only area where we can make cuts.” A smaller version of events is also not possible.
Therefore, the organizers are now concentrating on next year. The traditional event, which commemorates centuries of herring fishing in the Schlei since 1979, is scheduled to be held again in 2027. They are confident that the break will allow “a return with full strength, good conditions and a lot of shared energy,” the statement said. “Until then, we will remain optimistic, continue working behind the scenes and look forward to seeing you again – with the celebration that Kappeln deserves.”
Folk festivals in honor of the herring, the city’s symbol, are traditionally scheduled for four days around Ascension Day. Except for the Corona crisis, this festival has always been going on for more than 40 years.
