Walpurgis in the Harz Mountains
Celebrate the Walpurgis festival in Altenau with witches and devils
Walpurgis celebrations have been a firm tradition in the Harz Mountains for decades: Winter is driven away with witches and devils around the mystical flickering fires on the mountains of the Harz and spring is welcomed with cheerfulness and joy. By the way, you no longer have to climb the Brocken - it's pretty cold there at night. Celebrate this night at the Kurgastzentrum Altenau, in the "Altenauer Hexenkessel"! Special highlights are the performances of the dancing Bruchberg witches at the bubbling witches' cauldron and the lovingly built, crooked witches' house, which is only blown down from the Bruchberg into the witches' cauldron once a year!
The haunting of the Altenau witches' cauldron really begins on 30 April 2026 at 5.00 pm with the procession of little witches and devils with musical accompaniment from the Altenau brewery in Breite Straße. The Walpurgis spectacle in the Altenau concert garden/spa centre invites you to join in the afternoon with a mini disco, face painting for children, the big parade, all kinds of devilish games, a witches' broomstick driving licence for children and baking bread on a stick over the witches' bonfire in the witches' cauldron. This year, the magic show for children has been extended and offers two magical spectacles to marvel at and take part in! The children's Walpurgis ends with a colourful firework display for families at around 19:15.
The magical world of witches
At around 7.30 pm, the hearty Walpurgis party begins with live music from the band "Two Voices and Friends" and bewitching hustle and bustle until midnight, when the head devil appears with the famous devil's speech and the May Queen. This is followed by the big May welcome fireworks. For the first time in Altenau, the theatre group "Mixpickles" puts on a Walpurg play at around 10.30 pm!
The mysterious Walpurgis market also attracts visitors to the Altenau witches' cauldron with hellish delicacies such as devil's sausage, witches' steak and sweet treats. Drinks of all kinds are provided and colourful cocktails bubble away in the witches' cauldron!
Matching accessories for witches and devils such as hats, horns and brooms can be purchased directly on site.
Entry to the Walpurgis event is free.
Children's programme
| 14:00 - 18:00 | Face painting in the foyer of the Kurgastzentrum Altenau |
| 15.00 - 17.00 hrs | Heating up in the witches' cauldron: Teuflisch hot DJ music |
| 17.00 hrs | Parade of witches and devils with musical accompaniment from the SMG Oker from the Altenau brewery, Breite Straße to the spa guest centre |
| from 17.30 hrs | Broom flying licence on the witches' course for children |
| from 17.30 hrs | Bake bread on a stick over the devil's fire |
| 5.45 pm | Children's hands-on magic show with the magician "Maxim Maurice" |
| 18.30 hrs | Children's hands-on magic show with the magician "Maxim Maurice" |
Children's Walpurgis ends with a colourful ground firework display
Evening programme
| 19:30 - 01:00 | Walpurgis night in the Altenauer Hexenkessel with the live band Two Voices and Friends |
| 20:30 | Performance of the dancing witches from Bruchberg at the blazing cauldron: Hexennacht-Walpurgisruf & Walpurgisnacht |
| 9.30 pm | Performance by the dancing witches from Bruchberg at the blazing cauldron: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! |
| approx. 22.15 hrs | For the first time in Altenau, the theatre group "Mixpickles" performs the Walpurig play |
| 22.30 hrs | Performance by the dancing witches from Bruchberg at the blazing cauldron: Wild and Free! |
| 23.30 hrs | Performance by the dancing witches from Bruchberg at the blazing cauldron: Thriller |
| 24.00 hrs | Performance by the Chief Devil with the famous Devil's Speech and the May Queen, followed by a large firework display to welcome May |
