HanseFiSH 2026
Over four evenings, HanseFiSH 2026 took place at the WAL Strandbar, serving as a melting pot for international music, film and culture as part of this year’s Hanse Sail. With a total of over 3,000 guests, HanseFiSH once again established itself as a permanent cultural venue on the Baltic Sea.
The audience is enjoying a spectacular evening of music videos on a big screen right by the sea at the Northern European Music Video Awards. (c) Heiner Beisert
Northern European Music Video Award with an international flavour
The highlight of the first evening was the presentation of the 2026 Northern European Music Video Award. Music videos from nine countries bordering the Baltic Sea – from Norway to Poland – were screened on a large screen right on the beach. For the third year running, the award went to Denmark, winning Jude Kimuli for the video for Jaydev’s song “Damage”. The awards ceremony was a celebration of creative diversity, bringing together artists and directors from across the Baltic Sea region. Afterwards, the German-Polish band Duxius got the crowd going with a rousing and energetic concert.
HanseFiSH 2026 was a collaboration between Medienwerkstatt Rostock, Hanse Sail, the FiSH Film Festival Rostock and the WAL Strandbar. Admission to all events was free, making the event accessible to everyone.
“We wanted to create a cultural programme that would appeal to both young people from Rostock and tourists. That’s why we decided to focus on different themes on each evening: music, film and family entertainment. We’re delighted that this concept has once again been such a great success.” Christoph Krause, co-organiser of the event and owner of the WAL Strandbar.
Pictured: Christoph Krause (WAL Strandbar), Niklas Nebrich (FiSH Film Festival), Jude Kimuli (director of the winning video “Damage” by Danish rapper Jaydev) and Bettina Fust (Hanse Sail Rostock). (c) Heiner Beisert
Beach Club with live music and DJ sets
On Friday, the WAL Strandbar was transformed into a lively HanseFiSH Beach Club. The electronic duo Ecchi from Rostock kicked off the evening with warm basslines and hypnotic grooves. They were followed by Luna Soul from Schwerin and Barcelona, who created a retro atmosphere on the beach with shimmering analogue synths and soulful vocals. The evening was rounded off by the Spanish DJ duo Iberia Disco Sound, who kept the dance floor packed until the early hours with their Mediterranean flair, driving grooves and irresistible rhythms.
International Ocean Film Tour
On Saturday, the International Ocean Film Tour featured as a key part of the HanseFiSH programme for the third time, which has already had an extremely positive impact on audience numbers. From 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm, five impressive documentaries were screened, transporting the audience to faraway worlds: ‘HOME IS THE OCEAN’ (the story of a family who have been sailing around the world for over 20 years), ‘THE LAST DIVE’ (the extraordinary friendship between a diver and a manta ray), ‘A DIFFERENT BEAST’ (three brothers rowing across the Pacific), ‘CHRISTA FUNK: FIRST IN, LAST OUT’ (a portrait of a surf photographer) and ‘UP THE COAST’ (a kitesurfing adventure along the South African coast). The films captivated the audience with stories of adventure, marine conservation and the fascination of the world’s oceans.
Another small highlight was that each film was accompanied by a short film from the FiSH Film Festival, providing a platform for young filmmakers and showcasing the diversity of the FiSH archive to a whole new audience.
Family concert with the Murkels
The event concluded on Sunday with a family concert featuring the Murkels. These friendly, shaggy creatures from the dunes invited everyone to join in: together, the audience sang, danced and laughed. With their interactive concerts, catchy songs and funny movements, the Murkels created unforgettable moments full of joy and togetherness – a perfect finale for young and old alike.
(c) Heiner Beisert (c) Heiner Beisert (c) Heiner Beisert
(c) Heiner Beisert (c) Heiner Beisert (c) Heiner Beisert
(c) Niklas Nebrich (c) Niklas Nebrich (c) Niklas Nebrich
