District Festival Weitmar-Mitte — 100 Years of Incorporation

100 Years of Weitmar-Stadt-Bochum

On April 1, 1926, the previously independent municipality of Weitmar was incorporated into Bochum. In 2026, this municipal union celebrates its 100th anniversary — an occasion for a three-part anniversary programme in the Bochum districts of Weitmar-Mitte, Weitmar-Mark, and Dahlhausen. The district festival in Weitmar-Mitte is the quietest and most neighbourly of the three formats.

Programme Saturday, May 9, 2026

10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, the district centre transforms into a meeting space. The focus: a community neighbourhood breakfast, which all residents can attend. In addition:

• District walks with local history experts (100 years of Weitmar history)
• Rickshaw rides for elderly residents and children
• Children's programme with bouncy castle, games, and entertainment
• A tasting bar with Bochum specialities

Bochum-Weitmar in Context

Weitmar is located in the south of Bochum, between Wattenscheid and Stiepel. With its forests (Weitmarer Holz), historical sites (Schloss Weitmar), and established residential areas, the district has retained its own character. With around 30,000 inhabitants (together with Weitmar-Mark and Sundern), Weitmar is one of Bochum's larger districts.

Three Districts, Three Formats

On the same weekend, two other district festivals are taking place:

• Weitmar-Mark — larger spring and anniversary festival (11:00 AM–5:00 PM) with a mobile playground, target wall, clown, face painting, gastronomic stands
• Dahlhausen — IfNuN Initiative at Otto-Wels-Platz: Friday concert (Herbman Studio + The Light's), Sunday family festival with theatre and poetry

Bochum Fund as Financing

The district festivals are funded by the Bochum Fund, a municipal programme that supports community-oriented projects with up to €25,000 — with a 20% co-financing share from the initiatives. This participatory financing is part of the city's vision: citizen initiatives instead of centrally organised city marketing.

Neighbourly, Small, Personal

Unlike major events such as the Bochum City Festival on the Boulevard axis, the Weitmar-Mitte District Festival is deliberately small and accessible: a shared breakfast, a walk, a conversation — neighbourhood culture in the best sense.