Baltic Lights Usedom: When sled dogs and fire take over the winter beach

500 sled dogs and their mushers turn the beach of the Imperial Spas into a racetrack for one weekend. In between: crackling fire bowls, light installations above the water, and celebrities taking to the start line for a good cause. The tranquil Sunny Island becomes, between Heringsdorf and Ahlbeck, the most thrilling stage in the North.

What is Baltic Lights?

Since its premiere in 2016, Baltic Lights has grown from a small initiative into one of Northern Germany’s biggest winter events. Actor Till Demtrøder, together with his agency ExperiArts Entertainment, brings international musher teams from Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands to the island every year, along with prominent guests from TV, sport and politics.

What began as a small race in 2016 now attracts up to 70,000 guests in a single weekend. And in ten years it has raised over one million euros for Welthungerhilfe.

Date and location: When and where Baltic Lights takes place

Baltic Lights traditionally takes place over a late-winter weekend, usually from Friday to Sunday. In 2026, the event celebrated its 10th anniversary with the weekend of March 6–8.

The date is set for 2027: Baltic Lights will take place from Friday, February 26, to Sunday, February 28, 2027. The 11th edition therefore falls on the last weekend of February – good to know for anyone who has previously expected the date to be in March.

The setting is the beach between the two piers: the start and finish are at the beach access by the Steigenberger Grandhotel in Heringsdorf, and the roughly six-kilometre route runs towards Ahlbeck Pier and back again. If you are staying in one of our apartments in Ahlbeck or Heringsdorf, you can be there on foot in just a few minutes.

The programme: races, fire show and Baltic Lights Night

On Friday, February 26, the weekend begins at a relaxed pace: the RINTI Musher Camp opens from 12:00, and the event area on the beach from 15:00 – with the first husky training runs, colourful stalls and culinary offerings on the beach and along the Winter Magic Promenade. At 19:00, the official opening follows with live music by the campfire; from 19:15, the fire show by Pyro Team Berlin, and immediately afterwards the laser show over the water.

Saturday and Sunday are all about sport: admission is from 10:00 on both days; racing takes place on Saturday from 10:30 to 15:30 and on Sunday from 10:30 to 14:30. Professional and celebrity teams compete for the “Grand Prix of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern”, complemented by a celebrity relay and the popular Baltic Lights Games; at around 14:30 on Sunday, the charity winners are drawn, followed by the grand awards ceremony at around 15:00. On Saturday evening, the beach becomes a stage of light from 18:00: laser and fire show, the Baltic Lights Biikebrennen from 18:30, and music by the fire. At the Baltic Lights Night, the promenade transforms into a red carpet – with gala atmosphere right by the sea.*

*Programme and times subject to change: the organiser may alter the schedule, times and programme items at short notice. Please check the latest information on the organiser’s official programme page before your visit.

Baltic Lights and Welthungerhilfe

Behind the spectacle lies a serious cause: since 2016, Baltic Lights has been raising donations for Welthungerhilfe’s work against hunger worldwide. By purchasing a charity raffle ticket or wristband, you directly support projects in crisis and disaster areas – and at the same time take part in a draw for attractive prizes. Sport, light art and humanity: it is precisely this blend that makes the weekend more than an event.

How to experience Baltic Lights at its best

• Arrive early: On Friday afternoon it is still quiet at the stalls, and you can follow the first training runs at your leisure.
• Dress warmly: The beach in February is atmospheric, but windy. A hat, gloves and a warm jacket are essential.
• Plan for both piers: From Heringsdorf to Ahlbeck, the route is easy to explore on foot, with views of the races, fire and the Baltic Sea.
• Warm up in between: Having your own apartment within walking distance makes all the difference – a quick trip back, hot chocolate, dry socks, and then back out in the evening for the fire show.

Your home away from home: OSTKÜSTE Boutique Apartments in the Imperial Spas

Baltic Lights takes place right on our doorstep. None of our houses in Ahlbeck and Heringsdorf is more than a three-minute walk from the beach. Short distances matter when the Baltic wind is whistling outside.

After a day on the wintry beach, you will not return to a hotel room, but to a home: generous living spaces, a fully equipped kitchen for dinners without waiting, and in many apartments your own private sauna. Exactly the tranquillity you come to appreciate after a weekend full of bustle.

And if you are travelling with the whole family or with friends, you will find space for everyone with us – 56 apartments between 40 and 132 square metres, many of them with one or two separate bedrooms. Best of all: no long walks in the cold, because the beach is just around the corner anyway.