Hederauenfest Salzkotten

Hederauen, Gradierwerk, and City Center — A Connected Festival Setting

The Hederauenfest Salzkotten utilizes an extraordinary festival setting: the Hederauen (the nature reserve along the river Heder), the historic Gradierwerk (a traditional salt production structure that explains Salzkotten's name), and the compact city center merge into a three-day festival grounds. In 2026, the festival runs from Friday, August 28, 5:00 PM, to Sunday, August 30, 2026, 10:00 PM.

Water Show 'Hederzauber' — The Central Attraction

Arguably the most spectacular program item is the water show 'Hederzauber' — a choreographic water and light spectacle on the Heder, which integrates the river into the festive events. Light effects, water features, and musical accompaniment transform the Hederauen into a magical natural stage in the evening.

Street Food, Brunch, and Olympiade

The festival program is exceptionally diverse:

• Street Food Festival on Sälzerwiese with international food trucks
• Women's Flea Market 'Glanzstücke' — Market by women for women
• Fairtrade Brunch at Kunstrad on the Heder — a relaxed breakfast with fair-trade products
• Sälzer Classic — Vintage car meeting
• Sälzer Olympiade — Playful competition between clubs and citizen groups with unusual disciplines
• Duck Rally on the Heder — yellow plastic ducks float down the Heder for a charitable cause
• Live Music on several stages
• Children's Program with animation and games

Salzkotten — The Salt City in the Paderborn District

Salzkotten is a city with around 25,000 inhabitants in the Paderborn district in North Rhine-Westphalia. The name refers to the city's centuries-old salt production tradition — the Gradierwerk in the city park is a well-preserved monument to this industry. Salzkotten belongs to the western part of the Paderborner Land; the Hederauen with their extensive network of paths make the city a regional recreational destination.

City of Salzkotten as Organizer

The Hederauenfest is organized by the City of Salzkotten in close cooperation with local clubs, schools, and businesses. The Sälzer Olympiade, in particular, is an expression of the established club structure: around 30 clubs compete against each other in quirky disciplines and collect points for the season's standings.