140 Years Volunteer Fire Brigade Kirchhellen — Anniversary Festival

140 Years Volunteer Fire Brigade Kirchhellen

The Volunteer Fire Brigade Kirchhellen was founded in 1886 — 140 years ago, when the German Empire was striving for industrial expansion and fire hazards in agricultural and craft communities became a constant threat. In 2026, the brigade celebrates its 140th anniversary with a three-day festival weekend on Josef-Terwellen-Platz in Kirchhellen.

When: April 30 – May 2, 2026

The anniversary weekend traditionally falls on the May Day holidays:

• Thursday, April 30, 2026 — Dance into May with the band Casanovas
• Friday, May 1, 2026 — Festival day with tent service, morning pint, ceremony
• Saturday, May 2, 2026 — Vintage and fire engine exhibition with rally

Where: Josef-Terwellen-Platz

The Josef-Terwellen-Platz in Bottrop-Kirchhellen is the traditional festival grounds for the fire brigade. A large festival tent will be set up on the square, hosting the concerts and the ceremony. The vehicle exhibition on Saturday will spread across the entire square and adjacent streets.

Program in Detail

Thursday, April 30 — Dance into May

The anniversary weekend kicks off with the Dance into May party featuring the band Casanovas. A classic May opening party: Bavarian-Rhenish-Westphalian Schlager and party music, beer service, a packed dance floor. Advance tickets €17 — according to organizer Simon Glogowski, "selling well." Box office €20.

Friday, May 1 — Festival Day

• 10:00 AM: Tent service
• Morning: Morning pint with live music
• Morning: Ceremony with speeches, honors, presentation of awards
• Afternoon: Club competition — over 10 teams have registered, traditional disciplines from the fire brigade competition world
• Throughout the day: Vehicle show, demonstrations, children's program, anniversary film
• 7:00 PM: Party evening with DJ Mike Fuchs (Advance tickets €14, box office €16)

Saturday, May 2 — Vehicle Show and Rally

Highlight for fire brigade fans and vintage car enthusiasts: around 80 historic fire engines will be exhibited on the square and adjacent streets. From pre-war era turntable ladders to East German Tatra tankers to 1960s Magirus-Deutz classics. Starting around 2:30 PM, a large vintage car rally will take place through Kirchhellen — the vehicles will parade in convoys through the district. A visual highlight for the whole family.

What does 140 Years Volunteer Fire Brigade mean?

The FFW Kirchhellen was one of the first organized fire brigades in the region in 1886. At that time — and to this day — FFW are volunteer-staffed brigades where citizens voluntarily commit to fire and disaster protection. 140 years means: surviving two world wars, accompanying industrialization and structural change, extinguishing major fires, fighting floods. The FFW Kirchhellen is deeply interwoven with the identity of the district.

Kirchhellen — Bottrop's rural district

Kirchhellen was an independent municipality until 1976 before being incorporated into Bottrop. Today, it is Bottrop's rural north — farms, village structures, interspersed with residential areas and Movie Park Germany. Old club traditions are particularly alive in the district — and the FFW is the most important organization for safety and civic spirit.