Fehmarn Surf Festival: The search for a new location for the surf festival is underway - several areas in focus
Tobias Frauen
· 10.04.2026
How long have you had to deal with the scenario of having to find a new location for the surf festival?
The search for a location for the Fehmarn Surf Festival is almost part of the festival's history. It all started in 2003 at Wulfener Hals on Fehmarn, where the festival took place for five years until the event became too big for the rigid boundaries of the campsite. From 2009 to 2014 we were then in Pelzerhaken, where the beach camp was added, among other things. In 2015, the surf festival took place on Fehmarn again for the first time, this time on the south beach.
The area on the south beach was originally owned by the island of Fehmarn, but was sold to the Van Herk Group from Rotterdam in the Netherlands in 2008. The investor wanted to build holiday flats here, but ran into financial problems and construction never took place. After six years of nothing happening, the Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn and the owner agreed that the area would be maintained by the building yard and in return the island would have the right to organise events here as long as no construction work was carried out. During this phase from 2015 to the present day, we have heard several times that construction work by "the Dutch" could start next year, but this never materialised. From 2024, Tim Tholesen, a well-known investor in holiday flats, Fehmarn Südstrand GmbH and the Familux Group, a hotel operator from Austria, acquired the area and received planning permission for a large holiday complex.
Would Fehmarn like to keep the festival on the island?
Yes, Fehmarn, as the water sports island in the Baltic Sea, is interested in keeping the surf festival and currently gives us the feeling that they are sparing no effort or expense to keep the event on the island.
We have the feeling that Fehmarn spares no effort or expense to keep the surf festival on the island."
Who is involved in the search for a suitable new location for the festival?
The Fehmarn Tourism Service, under the leadership of Oliver Behncke, with Dana Zielinski as event manager, is currently looking for suitable new locations together with me from Freiluft GmbH. The Lower Nature Conservation Authority (UNB) and the Office for State and Coastal Protection (LKN) are also involved.
Are there or were there major differences between the parties involved?
The needs of festival organisers and surfers are not always in harmony with nature conservation and coastal protection. This will be clear to anyone who has followed the discussion surrounding the Baltic Sea National Park. In this case, however, I can only speak very highly of the UNB and the LKN. Both authorities are extremely co-operative and point out protected areas, animal species to be protected and the issues to be considered in dyke protection. The cooperation even goes so far that the UNB and LKN suggest areas where they believe such events could still be organised on the Baltic Sea coast. However, the UNB and LKN do not have their own areas that are large enough to organise the event. For this reason, landowners such as local farmers must also be prepared to lease the land for the festival on a long-term basis.
I can only speak very highly of the UNB and the LKN. Both authorities are extremely cooperative."
How did you go about finding a new location?
When searching for the venue, we first looked at what would be ideal from a windsurfing perspective. We checked the prevailing wind direction on Ascension weekend in northern Germany and identified suitable locations on the west coast as potential areas. We then look for stretches of beach that are wide enough for pagoda tents to be set up here and for surfers to be able to set off directly from the pagoda to test their skills. The third criterion is an area for the beach camp where the owners are happy for the festival to take place. And the fourth criterion is that the event area is also accessible for vehicle traffic and that appropriate parking guidance systems are possible.
This resulted in four potential areas, which we then sent to the UNB and LKN for a preliminary technical assessment. We then discussed this in personal meetings with the UNB and LKN and are now in the process of discussing the critical points with the LKN, UNB and landowners with the help of a biologist and expert. The aim here is to identify protected areas for nature and for the fragile dyke protection and to show whether and, if so, how these can continue to be adequately protected as part of our event concept. In particular, but not exclusively, this involves FFH areas (flora, fauna, habitat), Natura 2000 areas, landscape conservation areas, bird sanctuaries and the protection of dykes.
What are the criteria for a suitable location?
In figures, these criteria are
- 3.5 ha (35,000 m²) for the beach camp as the festival's own camping area
- 0.5 ha (5000 m²) for catering, stage and exhibition behind the dyke
- 0.5 ha (5,000 m²) on the beach for the actual test operation
Who makes the final decision?
As described above, it is not one person who ultimately makes the decision. At the end of the day, the factors mentioned result in a calculation with rent for the leased areas, costs for installing infrastructure such as electricity, waste water and so on. These have to be borne by the island of Fehmarn, or the producers, or the guests. It is very important to us that the festival does not become worse or more expensive for surfers and does not lose quality.
It is very important to us that the festival does not become worse or more expensive for surfers and does not lose quality."
What is the current status? Is there a shortlist or is there already a trend?
Yes, the shortlist includes one location on the west coast and two on the east and north-east coasts.
When can the announcement be expected?
Communication is in full swing and we hope to be able to announce a new venue for this year's Surf Festival!
Thank you very much, see you on Fehmarn!
Tobias Frauen
Editor
