Fettmarkt with Kirmes Warendorf

365 Years of Münsterland Market Tradition

The Warendorf Fettmarkt is one of the oldest folk festivals in Northwest Germany. Its roots go back over 365 years: Originally, it was a one-day cattle and household goods market where farmers from the Münsterland sold their fat-fed cattle — hence the name — as well as tools and household items. Over the centuries, the market grew into a multi-day city festival with a fair, flea market, and Sunday shopping. Today, the Fettmarkt fills the Lohwall and the historic Warendorf old town with showmen, market stalls, and thousands of visitors from all over the Münsterland for five days.

Fairground on the Lohwall

The core of the event is the large fair on the Lohwall, the central festival grounds on the edge of the old town. Here, showmen set up carousels, bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, roller coaster modules, a swing ship, children's carousels, and numerous food and sweet stalls for five days. Unlike smaller city fairs, the Fettmarkt is quite substantial — families travel from Beckum, Sendenhorst, Ostbevern, and even from Münster specifically for the event.

Sunday: Market Activity in the City Center

On Sunday, the action moves into the Warendorf old town: Market activity with hundreds of stalls — crafts, clothing, household goods, food, plants — fills the pedestrian zones, while shops open for Sunday shopping. This makes the Fettmarkt Sunday the most important shopping day of the year for Warendorf's city center and one of the largest Sunday shopping events in the Münsterland.

Fettmarkt Wednesday: Flea Market Tradition

A special feature of Warendorf is the Fettmarkt Wednesday with its large flea market. While the fair on the Lohwall is winding down, thousands of flea market enthusiasts browse the city center, searching stalls for antiques, vintage fashion, collectibles, and curiosities. The flea market attracts professional dealers as well as private sellers and is a unique draw, making Fettmarkt Wednesday a hidden gem for anyone interested in flea markets and antiques.

Warendorf — the Equestrian City in the Münsterland

Warendorf, the district capital of the Warendorf district, is primarily known as the "City of the Horse": It is home to the German Olympic Committee for Equestrian Sports (DOKR), where the German national riding team trains and equestrian history is made. The Fettmarkt represents the other side of the city: the Münsterland market and craft life, a down-to-earth tradition that connects generations.