Name: Dorsten Old Town Festival — 775 Years of Dorsten 2026
Start: 2026-06-12T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-14T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Fußgängerzone und Altstadt Dorsten

Altstadtfest Dorsten 775

About Altstadtfest Dorsten 775

From June 12 to 14, 2026, Dorsten in the Recklinghausen district will celebrate a double anniversary: 775 years of town rights (granted on June 1, 1251, by Cologne's Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden) and 50 years of municipal reorganization. The festival mile stretches through the entire Old Town and pedestrian zone, with three stages, gastronomy, and hands-on activities. Highlight on Saturday, June 13: the 'Wandelkonzerte' (wandering concerts) of the choir festival in the four historic churches of St. Agatha, Franciscan, St. John's, and Ursuline (5–7 p.m.). Free admission.

Dates 12 Jun — 14 Jun 2026

Venue Dorsten (05562)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Altstadtfest Dorsten 775 — edition 2026

Three days of Old Town Festival for Dorsten's 775th anniversary and 50 years of reorganization. Wandering concerts of the choir festival in St. Agatha, Franciscan, St. John's, and Ursuline churches on Saturday 5–7 p.m. Stage program in the pedestrian zone, Sunday shopping, family program.

The 2026 double anniversary edition is more ambitious than a classic Old Town Festival: 775 years of town rights plus 50 years of reorganization. A three-day program architecture with a musical focus on Saturday (wandering concerts in the four historic churches) and a family focus on Sunday (Sunday shopping). The organizer is the Dorsten City Agency.

Highlights Altstadtfest Dorsten 775 2026

775 Years of Dorsten — Town rights since 1251
Wandering concerts in four historic churches
Three days of festival mile in the Old Town
Sunday shopping
Free admission

Programme Altstadtfest Dorsten 775 2026

Friday, June 12, 2026 — Festival Kickoff

Official opening with the mayor and ceremony
First stage concerts in the pedestrian zone
Opening of the gastronomy mile

Saturday, June 13, 2026 — Wandering Concerts and Main Festival Day

Daytime stage program in the Old Town
5:00 PM / 5:30 PM / 6:00 PM / 6:30 PM — Wandering Concerts in four churches:
- St. Agatha
- Franciscan Church
- Protestant St. John's Church
- Ursuline Church
Evening concerts on the stages

Sunday, June 14, 2026 — Sunday Shopping and Family Program

Sunday shopping in the city center
Family program in the Old Town
Closing ceremony

Prices Altstadtfest Dorsten 775 2026

Free admission. Donations for the choirs of the wandering concerts are requested. Food and drinks are at your own expense.

Practical information

Practical information — Altstadtfest Dorsten 775

Getting There

Dorsten is accessible by the RB 43 (Emscher-Niederrhein-Bahn) from Dortmund and Gladbeck. By car via the B58 (from Wesel or Marl) or the A31 (Lembeck exit). During the festival, the city center is largely car-free — observe Park-and-Ride options.

Admission

Free admission to all events and 'Wandelkonzerte'. Donations for the choirs are requested.

Tip

The 'Wandelkonzerte' on Saturday are the musical highlight — arrive early and wander in a logical order (e.g., St. Agatha → Franciscan → St. John's → Ursuline). Sunday is a shopping Sunday, with increased visitor numbers.

The Double Anniversary 2026

On June 1, 1251, the then Archbishop of Cologne, Konrad von Hochstaden, granted Dorsten town rights — and thus the status that made the city one of the important hubs in Westphalia's Münsterland region. Exactly 775 years later, the city celebrates this act with a three-day Old Town Festival, which simultaneously marks the 50th anniversary of the municipal reorganization. The festival framework is ambitious: the entire Old Town becomes a festival mile, and the program combines history, music, and neighborhood activation.

Wandelkonzerte of the Choir Festival — The Highlight on Saturday

The musical highlight takes place on Saturday, June 13, in the four historic churches of the Old Town:

St. Agatha (main Catholic church)
Franciscan Church
Protestant St. John's Church
Ursuline Church

At 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM, 6:00 PM, and 6:30 PM respectively, each church offers a 20-minute short program — visitors can 'wander' from one church to the next and experience all four choirs in two hours. The concerts are free; donations for the musicians are requested.

Three Days of Festival Mile Through the Old Town

Throughout the weekend, stages, hands-on activities, and gastronomy are spread across Dorsten's pedestrian zone:

Friday, June 12 — Festival kickoff with official opening and ceremony
Saturday, June 13 — Main festival day, 'Wandelkonzerte' from 5 p.m., evening program on the stages
Sunday, June 14 — Sunday shopping, family program, closing ceremony

Dorsten — Gateway to the Münsterland

Dorsten is located in the northern Recklinghausen district in North Rhine-Westphalia, at the transition from the Ruhr area to the Münsterland. With its location on the Lippe River, the Wasserschloss Lembeck (Lembeck moated castle), and its preserved Old Town, Dorsten is one of the most atmospheric medium-sized towns in the western Münsterland. The Old Town Festival is the largest city festival event of the year — and in 2026, with the 775-year anniversary, a historical highlight.