Aachen WM Special – Cultural Programme for the Riding World Championships

Aachen 2026 — World Championship Meets City Festival

In the summer of 2026, Aachen will be the centre of the international equestrian world: The FEI World Championships will bring 650 athletes from 35 nations and around 500,000 visitors to the CHIO grounds in Soers. However, the city of Aachen is going beyond the sporting event to create the Aachen WM Special, a two-week cultural fringe programme inviting the historic city centre to celebrate along – even for those without stadium tickets. From 11 to 23 August 2026, Aachen will be one big city festival.

Three Squares, Two Stages, One Programme

The WM Special will take place in three central squares of Aachen's old town: the historic Markt with the Town Hall, the Katschhof between the Town Hall and the Cathedral, and Münsterplatz directly in front of the UNESCO World Heritage Cathedral. The programme on the two stages will change daily: World Championship shows at 7 PM on Katschhof with rider presentations, show riders, live feeds from Soers, and discussions; concerts at Markt or Münsterplatz; dance performances; cultural talks. Headliners include Alvaro Soler, Mia., and the Bonn-based brass band Querbeat (14 August).

Food Markets and Ferris Wheel

Two food markets offering regional and international specialities will be set up on Katschhof and Münsterplatz – from Aachener Printen (gingerbread) to Moroccan street food, Belgian fries, German craft beer, and vegetarian trends. A Ferris wheel on the Markt will offer views over Aachen's old town, including the Cathedral, Town Hall, and Lousberg. This transforms the WM Special into a true summer city festival – a festival atmosphere for families, guests, locals, and WM tourists alike.

Augmented Reality Horse Sculptures

An innovation of the WM Special is the Augmented Reality Art Route featuring six foal sculptures distributed throughout Aachen's city centre, linked via QR codes to Soers – the CHIO grounds. Scan with your smartphone, access AR content, and stroll through Aachen's World Championship world. This will be accompanied by a giant chess installation on Katschhof (10 July – 2 August) with oversized horse figures. Three museums – Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Centre Charlemagne, and Ludwig Forum – will host special exhibitions on horses in art, CHIO history, and equestrian sport film installations.

Stadtglühen, SeptemberSpecial — Replaced

Important to know: In 2026, the WM Special replaces the established Aachen summer formats Stadtglühen and SeptemberSpecial, as well as the Kurpark Classix Festival and Lothringair. These formats will not take place in 2026 to concentrate resources, personnel, and attention on the World Championship year. The regular summer formats are scheduled to return in 2027 – so if you love Stadtglühen or SeptemberSpecial, you'll have to make do with the WM Special in 2026 (which is no loss, quite the opposite).