Borghorst Christmas Market

Advent Begins in Borghorst

Borghorst is one of the two districts that merged in 1975 to form the present-day city of Steinfurt in Münsterland (the other is Burgsteinfurt). While Burgsteinfurt, with its moated castle and historic Bagno park, has the more well-known tourist profile, Borghorst is the more down-to-earth, more populous district — and it has its own, very popular Christmas market.

Program and Atmosphere

The Borghorst Christmas Market on the central market square at Auf dem Schilde combines the typical Münsterland Advent ingredients:

• Many market stalls with Christmas offerings — arts and crafts, wood carvings, fairy lights, Advent wreaths, books, toys
• Hot drinks — mulled wine (Glühwein), punch, children's punch, cocoa
• Culinary offerings — potato pancakes (Reibekuchen), bratwurst, Münsterland specialties (Mettstipp, Pfefferpotthast), candied almonds, doughnuts (Schmalzkuchen), crêpes
• X-Mas Party on Friday evening — popular beyond the region: a party format that celebrates the market's opening as a lively evening with DJs and bands
• Santa Claus visit on Saturday evening from 6 PM on the stage area — a highlight for the children
• Live music and choirs from the district

Opening Hours

The market opens on Friday, December 11th, 2026, at 5 PM and runs until midnight — this is the X-Mas Party slot. On Saturday and Sunday, it opens classically from 11 AM to 10 PM, with the Santa Claus highlight on Saturday evening.

Steinfurt-Borghorst — Münsterland Medium-Sized City

Borghorst (approx. 20,000 inhabitants as a district) is the more densely populated, commercially oriented part of Steinfurt. With the market square, the St. Nikomedes Church (an impressive 19th-century brick building), and the pedestrian zone, it forms its own center. The Christmas market is its most important annual event and fills the market square for three days.

Organizer — Steinfurt Erleben GmbH

The organizer is Steinfurt Erleben GmbH, the municipal tourism and event company of the city of Steinfurt. It is responsible for both the Borghorst market and the parallel Advent formats in Burgsteinfurt (Adventszauber, Schlossweihnacht). The Borghorst market has the younger, more party-oriented profile — the X-Mas Party on Friday is unusual for Advent market openings in Münsterland and part of its identity.