Burgspektakel Wassenberg

Three Days of the Middle Ages at One of the Most Beautiful Hill Castles on the Lower Rhine

The Burgspektakel Wassenberg is one of the larger medieval markets on the lower Lower Rhine and utilizes an extraordinary setting: Wassenberg Castle, a hill castle originally built in the 11th century on a spur above the Roer floodplain. The former ducal palace of the Counts of Wassenberg is now the town's landmark – with its keep, castle terrace, and extensive castle gardens. These very spaces are transformed by the organizer Vehi Mercatus into a dense medieval world of entertainment.

Date 2026: May 8th–10th

The 2026 Burgspektakel runs from Friday, May 8th, to Sunday, May 10th, 2026. Opening hours:

• Friday: 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Opening evening)
• Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Main market day with evening fire performance)
• Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Family day)

Market, Crafts, and Demonstrations

Around 60 market stalls will feature historical craftspeople and traders showcasing their skills:

• Leatherwork, blacksmithing, bronze casting
• Bow making, medieval weapons, helmets
• Wooden toys, pottery, ceramics
• Wool work, felted hats, historically inspired clothing
• Mead, beer, wine, and medieval dishes (suckling pig, stick bread, crêpes)

Stages, Minstrels, and Acrobatics

Programs run all day on two stages:

• Medieval Music: Hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, shawm, drums
• Acrobats and Jugglers: Fire eaters, jugglers, stilt walkers
• Theater and Minstrels with short plays about saints, knights, and rogues

Jousting Tournament, Sword Fighting, and Falconry

Several times a day, jousting tournaments on horseback take place on the festival grounds – with lance combats, skill games, and sword fighting. A falconer presents birds of prey in flight. Children can try archery, blacksmithing, and arrow carving at hands-on stations.

Saturday Evening Fire Performance

The highlight is the fire performance on Saturday evening: fire eaters, burning torches, illuminated castle walls. The nocturnal atmosphere on the castle hill is one of the most impressive moments of the festival – making a Saturday visit particularly worthwhile.

Wassenberg – the "Eifel-Maastricht"

Wassenberg is located in the Heinsberg district, near the Dutch border. With around 18,000 inhabitants, the town is manageable but particularly known for its historic center: narrow alleys, half-timbered houses, the keep landmark. Visitors to the Burgspektakel should definitely plan a stroll through the old town.