Januar
Essen On Ice
Jan-March
Winter magic at Kennedy square with ice skating, sled track and lots of stands with tasty winter food.
›› www.essen-on-ice.de
Februar
Essener Parkleuchten
Feb-March
Artful illuminations turn Grugapark into a beautifully mystic place during the winter nights.
›› Grugapark Essen
Carnival
When the street carnival begins on “Women’s Carnival Day,” the whole Ruhr Region goes crazy.
Highlights of these wild days include the Mummenschanz alternative Carnival Party in Bochum’s art museum, alongside the not-to-be-missed Rose Monday Parades through the city centers.
Parties, balls and even more smaller parades complete the scene.
März
Dortmunder Osterkirmes
About 2 weeks
A roller coaster, Ferris wheel and more round off the Osterkirmes!
›› Festplatz an der Eberstraße
›› www.rote-erde.de
Mai
Bottrop Live
3 days
Excellent 3-day city festival with a variety of family and stage attractions.
›› Bottrop
›› www.marketing-bottrop.de
Klavier-Festival Ruhr
May-July
Annual high-quality piano festival with up to 70 concerts at different Ruhr Region venues.
›› www.klavierfestival.de
Rhein-Ruhr-Marathon
1 day
›› see sports
Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen
6 weeks
Large theater festival, which is popular throughout the Ruhr Region.
Main venue is the Ruhrfestspielhaus in Recklinghausen, other locations are in Recklinghausen center and the Theater Marl.
›› Recklinghausen
›› www.ruhrfestspiele.de
Tour de Rü
1 day
Vintage car parade on Essen’s top boulevard, Rüttenscheider Straße (shortened to Rü).
›› Essen-Rüttenscheid
Juni
ExtraSchicht
1 day
ExtraSchicht, also known as the Night of Industrial Culture, shows the Ruhr Region at its best.
Industrial monuments are illuminated with bright colors and international artistes transform them into stages for unique performances.
With up to 150,000 visitors, ExtraSchicht is one of the region’s most significant cultural festivals.
›› various Locations
›› www.extraschicht.de
Kulturpfadfest Essen
1 day
Blue-lit paving stones show visitors the way to concerts, performances and walking acts that take place from the Museum Folkwang to the inner city.
›› Essen
›› www.kulturpfadfest-essen.de
Ruhr in Flammen
3 days
Summer festival for the whole family with bands, food and a magnificent fireworks display on the Ruhr bank.
›› Essen-Steele
Rü-Fest
1 day
Street festival on the popular Rüttenscheider Straße (Rü): 10 stages with live music, food stands, art market. Party atmosphere and lots more.
›› Essen-Rüttenscheid
Wanner Mondnächte
4 days
Diverse theater program and fireworks.
›› Herne-Wanne
›› www.wiraufdemmond.de
Juli
Bochum Total
4 days
The Bermuda triangle rocks! One of Europe’s biggest music festivals – and it’s all free.
›› Bochum Innenstadt
›› www.bochumtotal.de
Boulevardfest Herne
3 days
Comedy, live music and fireworks turn the Bahnhofstraße boulevard into a party zone.
›› Herne, Robert-Brauner-Platz, Bahnhofstraße
›› www.herne.de
Juicy Beats
1 day
Music festival for electro music and hip hop fans.
›› Dortmunder Westfalenpark
›› www.juicybeats.net
Traumzeit Festival
3 days
A journey of discovery through pop, jazz, rock, world music, electronic and new music.
›› Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord
›› www.traumzeit-festival.de
August
Beecker Kirmes
5 days
Fans of wild rides and colorful sugar candy can get their fill at the Lower Rhine’s biggest fun fair in Duisburg.
›› Duisburg-Beeck, Festplatz hinter dem Beecker Oberhof, Beecker Marktplatz
›› www.beecker-kirmes.de
Bochum Kulinarisch
5 days
Top gastronomes turn the Bongard-Boulevard into a paradise for gourmets over 5 days.
›› Bochum, Bongard-Boulevard
›› www.bochum-kulinarisch.de
Broicher Schlossnacht
1 evening
Art, culture and fringe theater in the historic inner courtyard of Broich Castle.
›› Mülheim an der Ruhr, Schloss Broich
Cranger Kirmes
10 days
The Ruhr Region’s biggest fairground festival with about 4 million visitors a year.
›› Herne-Crange
›› www.cranger-kirmes.de
Nightlightdinner & CityFest
2 days
Bahnhofstraße boulevard becomes the region’s longest picnic table, including lots of live music.
›› Herne, Robert-Brauner-Platz, Bahnhofstraße
›› www.herne.de
Ruhrtriennale
end of August to start of October
International festival for music, theater, literature and dance that started in 2002.
It takes place at the region’s industrial monuments including the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum, the Duisburg-Nord country park and the Zeche und Kokerei Zollverein.
›› www.ruhrtriennale.de
Weinfest
4 days
Lots of wine merchants offer their best wines on Duisburg’s Königstraße.
›› Duisburg
›› www.duisburger-weinfest.de
Zeltfestival Ruhr
2 weeks
The white tent city at Lake Kemander offers great summer fun with a Piazza stage and open-air gastronomy.
›› Kemnader See, Bochum
›› www.zeltfestivalruhr.de
September
Bochumer Musiksommer
4 days
Lively mix of classical music, electronic dance music, choral music and jazz on several stages.
›› Bochumer Innenstadt
›› www.bochumer-musiksommer.de
Essen.Original.
3 days
Visitors can watch professional and amateur performers on six stages over three days – and it’s free.
›› Essen
›› www.essen-original.de
Pfefferpotthastfest
5 days
Try about 50 different Westphalian dishes, including the famous Pfefferpotthast (pork and onion stew).
›› Dortmunder Innenstadt, Alter Markt
Stadtfest Unna
3 days
Very popular city festival in the region with 100,000 visitors. Along with the historical arts and crafts market, bands on eight stages create a party mood.
›› Unna
›› www.unna.de
Mülheimer Drachenboot-Festival
2 days
Big fun dragon boat regatta on the Ruhr with side events and a dragon party.
›› Mülheim
›› www.muelheim-ruhr.de
Stunikenmarkt in Hamm
5 days
Cozy funfair around Pauluskirche.
›› Hamm
›› www.hamm.de
Oktober
Dortmunder DEW21-Museumsnacht
1 evening
Some 50 museums, art galleries and studios welcome visitors until late in the night, including many special events such as concerts and readings.
›› Dortmund
Boulevard Dortmunder Herbst
5 days
›› See trade fairs
Herbstleuchten
2 weeks
Maximilianpark in Hamm gleams during the golden autumn days with its glass elephant and many illuminations in bright colors.
›› Hamm
›› www.maximilianpark.de
RWE-Marathon
1 day
See sports
November
Dortmunder Hansemarkt
5 days
Jugglers, music groups and a nostalgic funfair give Dortmund’s inner city a Medieval ambience.
›› www.hansemarkt-dortmund.de
Les.Art.Festival
10 days
A full 10 days of literature at different venues, including the award of the young literature prize.
›› Dortmund
Dezember
Weihnachtsmärkte
1 month
Magical stalls and mulled wine turn the Ruhr cities into winter wonderlands.
›› Dortmund, Alter Markt Innenstadt n Essen, Willy-Brandt-Platz
›› Bochum, Dr.-Ruer-Platz
›› Oberhausen, CentrO
›› Duisburg, City-Palais
›› Mülheim an der Ruhr, Viktoriaplatz
›› Gelsenkirchen, Neumarkt
›› Bottrop, Ernst-Wilczok-Platz
›› Hagen, LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen
Silvester-Feuerwerk
1 evening
The best places for a great view of New Year fireworks are the Tetraeder in Bochum, Essen’s Schurenbachhalde or the Tippelsberg Bochum.
