Advent Torch Swim Otterndorf 2026 – Torch Parade, the Medem and St Nicholas

On Saturday, 28 November 2026, divers carry torches through Otterndorf's old town and then climb into the Medem. The 41st Otterndorf Advent Torch Swim (Advent-Fackelschwimmen) takes place, as always, on the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent. Here you'll find how the evening runs, which way the torch parade goes and where you can watch. From the Nordseezimmer you can reach the main stops on foot. Last checked: November 2026.

What happens at the Advent Torch Swim

This year the Advent Torch Swim takes place for the 41st time. Divers and water sports enthusiasts from near and far come to Otterndorf for it. Wearing wetsuits and fins and carrying torches, they first walk through the historic old town. Then they climb into the cold Medem.

The evening is hosted by the diving group of the swimming section of TSV Otterndorf; the organiser is the town of Otterndorf. The swimmers are accompanied by the marching band (Spielmannszug), the Otterndorf fire brigade and volunteers. On the water a DLRG lifeguard boat comes along, with St Nicholas on board.

The TSV's diving page adds one more detail: the divers swim with home-made little islands, and the spectators judge the best ones from the bridges. Whether there will be judging again in 2026 is open.

At the end of November the sun sets in Otterndorf shortly after 4 pm. So when the evening starts at 5 pm it is already dark, and the torches really stand out.

The schedule on 28 November

This is how the evening runs:

No time is given for the parade setting off from the Sole-Therme, just “afterwards”. If you want to see the parade from the start, it's best to be there early.

There is no information about admission or registration for spectators. If you have questions, the Otterndorf tourist information at Wallstraße 12 can help, by phone on +49 4751 919131 or by email at touristik@otterndorf.de.

The route of the torch parade

The parade starts at the Sole-Therme and goes via the Großer Specken, the Kirchplatz (church square), Reichenstraße and Marktstraße and Große Dammstraße, past the Süderwall care home and across the Eschweide to the Baar-Rabe bridge.

Around 6.45 pm the swimmers enter the Medem and head towards the Goethe bridge. Shortly after, they leave the water behind the indoor pool and get warm drinks. The group of “non-divers” (Nichttaucher) returns via Eschstraße and Johann-Heinrich-Voß-Straße and the Großer Specken to the Sole-Therme.

What the old town looks like in daylight is shown in our article on Otterndorf's old town. The day after the torch swim you can walk the route there at your own pace.

Where to watch

Three good places to watch: the Großer Specken, where the evening starts at 5 pm, the route of the torch parade through the old town, and the bridges over the Medem. The swimmers head towards the Goethe bridge.

From the Nordseezimmer the main spots are within walking distance:

So your car can stay in your parking space. Bring warm clothes and sturdy shoes: between 5 pm and the end of the swim you'll be outside for about two hours, and in the dark.

An Advent weekend in Otterndorf

The torch swim on Saturday, 28 November, falls on the eve of the first Sunday of Advent (Sunday, 29 November). If you stay longer, there are a few obvious options.

On a rainy day the Sole-Therme Otterndorf is an option, where the parade starts on the night of the torch swim; best check the opening hours beforehand. In Cuxhaven the Christmas markets begin at the end of November, including the Winterzauber and the Christmas market at Schloss Ritzebüttel. What we found out about the dates is in our article on the Christmas markets in Cuxhaven.

Just under two weeks later there's the next occasion in Otterndorf itself: from 11 to 13 December 2026 the Otterndorf Sternenmarkt (in German) takes place on the Kirchplatz, Friday 3 pm to 10 pm, Saturday 2 pm to 10 pm and Sunday 12 noon to 8 pm.

Back to the Nordseezimmer

After the torch night you're back in a few minutes on foot. There are no fixed arrival times with us: check-in via key box works around the clock. You have your own bathroom, a large bed (180 × 200), Wi-Fi, your own parking space and coffee, and the tourist tax is included. Both rooms, Koje and Koi, can be booked from one night, with no single-room supplement. What a short trip to the coast feels like is described in our article One night on the North Sea.