Jakobimarkt Mastholte

Mastholte — A District with Market Tradition

Rietberg, a medium-sized town with around 30,000 inhabitants in the Gütersloh district (Detmold administrative region, Ostwestfalen), has a district with its own market tradition in Mastholte. The Jakobimarkt in Mastholte is a classic Westphalian market — Lippstädter Straße becomes a shopping mile once a year. In 2026, the market will be held on Wednesday, July 22 — the Wednesday after St. James' Day (July 25).

Lippstädter Straße as a Shopping Mile

On this market day, Lippstädter Straße in Mastholte will be closed to traffic and transformed into a shopping mile. Market stalls, local shops with outdoor sales, food stands, and catering stalls line the street. The range of goods includes textiles, leather goods, jewelry, and household items, as well as tools, plants, food specialties, sweets, and snacks.

Hotel Adelmann with a Grand Buffet

The traditional Hotel Adelmann in Mastholte is the gastronomic center of the Jakobimarkt. Two special buffet offers are available:

• Grand Breakfast Buffet from 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM — 14.00 EUR per person
• Lunch Buffet from 11:30 AM — 19.90 EUR per person

The buffets are an established part of the Jakobimarkt and are traditionally enjoyed by visitors from the region (Verl, Gütersloh, Rietberg, Bielefeld), who turn the market day into an excursion day.

St. James' Day — Religious Background

St. James' Day (July 25) is the feast of the Apostle James the Greater in the Catholic calendar — an important saint in the Westphalian calendar. Several parishes in Ostwestfalen are dedicated to St. James. The market date on the Wednesday after St. James' Day is an old tradition rooted in the Catholic market calendar: the market, where farmers and craftsmen sold their summer goods, took place after the saint's feast day. This connection has been maintained in the Mastholte Jakobimarkt to this day.

Local Heritage Association and Business Associations as Organizers

The organizers are the Heimatverein Mastholte (Local Heritage Association) in cooperation with the local business associations and the city of Rietberg. The Heimatverein manages the organization independently — it preserves the traditional format and enhances it with small stage performances by local clubs, a tombola, and club stalls with catering.

Atmosphere and Vibe

Unlike many modern market festivals, the Mastholte Jakobimarkt retains the atmosphere of a traditional Westphalian village market: manageable size, personal encounters, local club life, and the key role of Hotel Adelmann as a meeting point. Those seeking authentic Westphalian customs will find it here — not an overcrowded tourist event, but a traditional market day in the Ostwestfalen province.

Getting There

Mastholte is accessible by car via the B 64 or L 754. By public transport: from Rietberg Hbf with the OWL transport company bus (line 84). Approximately 20 minutes from Gütersloh, 10 minutes from Rietberg-Mitte, and about 25 minutes from Lippstadt. Parking is available around the market area (limited, easily accessible during daytime on Wednesday).