Hattinger Herbstmarkt

Autumn in Hattingen's Old Town

Hattingen – a town of around 55,000 inhabitants in the Ennepe-Ruhr district south of Bochum – combines a particularly well-preserved half-timbered old town with industrial history (Henrichshütte). This backdrop is the natural stage for the Hattinger Herbstmarkt, which takes place every year on the first weekend of October in the city center around Untermarkt and Kirchplatz.

Date 2026: three days around October 3rd

The market runs from Friday, October 2nd to Sunday, October 4th, 2026. It thus covers German Unity Day, which falls on Saturday in 2026 – a welcome extended public holiday that traditionally draws many visitors from the Ruhr area and the southern Bergisches Land to the old town. The Sunday shopping on October 4th combines a visit to the market with a classic shopping Sunday in Hattingen's city center.

Arts and Crafts and Regional Products

The focus of the market offer is on arts and crafts and creative handmade items: ceramics, jewelry, textiles, woodwork, prints, sculptures, and glass art – with a penchant for unique pieces or small series. In addition, there are autumn decorations (pumpkins, dried flowers, preparations for Advent), regional foods such as honey, cheese, jams, and wild herbs from the Sauerland and Bergisches Land regions, as well as a number of snack and café stands.

Sunday Shopping and Ennepe-Ruhr District

Hattingen retailers and restaurateurs have been using the Sunday shopping day (October 4th, 2026) as a joint occasion for years. The market is organized by EN-AGENTUR – Wirtschaftsförderungsagentur Ennepe-Ruhr GmbH – which coordinates numerous city and tourism projects in the district (state of North Rhine-Westphalia). The weekend is embedded in a series of other autumn markets between Witten, Sprockhövel, Schwelm, and Ennepetal.

A Market in a Half-Timbered Setting

What distinguishes the Hattinger Herbstmarkt from many other markets in Ostwestfalen or the Ruhr area is the backdrop: the old town with its half-timbered houses, the historic hall in front of St. George's Church, and the narrow alleys create an intimate, almost village-like atmosphere, even though Hattingen is directly connected to Essen and Bochum. If you are looking for a weekend with slow walks, good coffee, and relaxed browsing, this is the place for you – especially since the neighboring Ruhr Valley invites you for excursions with Blankenstein Castle and Kemnader Lake.