Why hundreds dressed as Kate Bush in Potsdam as the city joins the worldwide tradition

Hundreds of people wearing flowing red dresses, flower crowns and black wigs transformed the gardens of Potsdam’s Schloss Lindstedt into a scene straight from a Kate Bush music video. What first looked like a bizarre flash mob was actually the German city’s first step into a worldwide tradition that now brings together thousands of fans across four continents every year.

Potsdam joins a worldwide Kate Bush phenomenon

Around 200 dancers gathered at Schloss Lindstedt on July 4 2026 for Potsdam’s first taste of the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, recreating the unforgettable floaty choreography from Kate Bush’s 1978 smash hit Wuthering Heights.

People of all ages took part in the colourful performance, which isn’t just a dance event.The gathering also raised money for Opferhilfe Land Brandenburg, a charity supporting victims of sexual and violent crime. Brandenburg’s Culture Minister, Manja Schule, officially opened the celebration, describing it as “more than a homage to a great book and an iconic song” and saying it represents “self-determination, equality and solidarity”. Funding of €5,000 from the Brandenburg Ministry for Science, Research and Culture also helped bring the event to life.

How one dance became a worldwide celebration

The event first began in Brighton 2013, as an attempt to gather as many people as possible dressed as Kate Bush. From then it has grown into one of the world’s most unusual annual traditions.

Performance collective Shambush invited people to recreate the famous dance from the Wuthering Heights music video, wearing the singer’s instantly recognisable flowing red dress. Videos from the event spread rapidly online, inspiring communities around the world to organise their own celebrations. More than a decade later, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is held in cities across Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Participation has always been open to everyone, regardless of age, gender or dancing ability.

Red dresses are returning across the globe in July

July has become the traditional month for most, with organisers once again preparing gatherings in dozens of cities. Britain holds some of the largest events, including celebrations in Hay-on-Wye, Haworth, Birmingham, Folkestone, Margate and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. Copenhagen is preparing another Danish gathering, Dublin will once again welcome dancers into Fairview Park, while Baltimore has joined the growing list of American cities taking part. Australia has one of movement’s strongest supporters, with events in Sydney and the Gold Coast across to regional communities where hundreds regularly join the dance.

Each location adds its own local personality and character, but every event follows the same simple idea, put on a red dress, learn a few iconic moves and dance along. Many organisers now use Wuthering Heights Day to support charities, encourage inclusivity and bring communities together through music and laughter.

Stranger Things helped introduce Kate Bush to a new generation

Kate Bush’s music burst into the ears of new audience in 2022 after Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) featured in Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things. The emotional scene quickly went viral, skyrocketing the 1985 song back to number one in the UK for the first time and introducing millions of younger listeners to Bush’s music.