The first weekend in August marks the annual Cultural Harbour Festival, when the Copenhagen Harbour front is transformed into a festival ground to celebrate Danish culture, arts and sports activities with food, dance and theatre performances as well as activities for the entire family.
Locals and visitors alike have flocked to this event every year since its birth in 2000. This year it’s bigger then ever before, spanning six waterfront locations that festival-goers can access by free boats and buses.
The official opening of the festival will take place on two magnificent schooners, Mira and Halmø, which are currently docked in Admiral Kaj and will be used as waterborne stages. Copenhagen’s deputy mayor for culture, Pia Allerslev, will hold the opening speech and launch the weekend festivities (15:30 on the opening Friday).
Islands Brygge once again plays host as the main festival area, with more than 85 Copenhagen clubs and associations setting up shop and each arranging their own slew of workshops and activities— why not try making your own film storyboard with 2200 FILMs (a newcomer to the festival), or compete in building a pyramid of plastic cups with Sport Stacking?
Families with young children should head to Sydhavnen, where the entire Teglholmen, Sluseholmen and Teglværksbassinet will be decked out with activities for the little ones, including dinghy sailing, circus workshops, and even a rap workshop. Don’t miss the underwater storytelling in the area’s new harbour bath (daily from 4-6pm at Sluseholmens Havnebad)!
Kalvebod Brygge will be housing some of the major festival partners such as Marriott Hotel and Fisketorvet. They will be hosting such water sports as stand-up paddling, water polo and kayaking. For those interested in Copenhagen Harbour’s unique shipbuilding heritage, make your way to Enghave Brygge to experience one of the world’s largest diesel engines in action, or hop on one of the free boat-buses and travel to the old B&W shipyard on Refsehaløen and embark on a journey of discovery into the area’s inspiring past and even meet some of its new creative residents.
Cultural Harbour Festival
Islands Brygge, Refsehaløen, Admiral Kaj, Kalvebod Brygge, Enghave Brygge, Sydhavnen; open Fri 16:00-22:00, Sat 12:00-22:00, Sun 12:00-20:00; Free adm
