Kindsein in Holsterhausen — Children's and Neighbourhood Festival

An Afternoon for Families in the Heart of Holsterhausen

When the church square on Holbeinstraße is closed to traffic on the last Thursday in June, families in Holsterhausen know: It's time again for 'Kindsein in Holsterhausen'. The children's and neighbourhood festival has been a firm fixture in the event calendar of western Essen for years, transforming the square in front of the parish church St. Mariä Empfängnis into a vibrant neighbourhood centre for four hours.

What to Expect

The concept has been proven for years and remains unchanged in 2026: Numerous Essen institutions — social welfare organizations, sports clubs, daycare centres, schools, counselling services — set up their stands around the church square and offer free hands-on activities for children from preschool age to adolescence. Participating are:

• Glitter tattoos and face painting — classics that regularly draw the longest queues
• Bouncy castle for letting off steam
• Football activity with the beloved Bundesliga club, Rot-Weiss Essen
• Craft activities, games, quiz stations from participating organizations
• Counselling services for parents

The festival is deliberately designed to be accessible: no admission fee, no registration, no sales pressure. It's about playing, getting to know Holsterhausen's offerings for children and families — and about relaxed afternoon chats over coffee and cake.

Holsterhausen — A Neighbourhood in Transition

Holsterhausen, the district between Essen city centre and Margarethenhöhe, has been in flux for years: growing population, many young families, its central location along Holsterhauser Straße. This is precisely why the festival was launched in 2014 by the Netzwerk Holsterhausen (Holsterhausen Network) — as a visible sign that the district has its own identity and family culture. Today, the festival also serves as a showcase for the AWO Integration Agency, which reaches many Holsterhausen families with a migration background and has been co-organizing the festival for years.

Organizers and Institutions

The leading organizers are the Youth Welfare Office of the City of Essen, the AWO Essen with its integration agency, and the Netzwerk Holsterhausen, where around 30 neighbourhood stakeholders (parishes, clubs, social institutions) regularly exchange ideas. The parish of St. Mariä Empfängnis has provided the church square since the beginning — symbolically fitting, as the square sees itself as the 'living room of the neighbourhood'.