Kläschenmarkt Lemgo
Traditional Lemgo Christmas Market since 1365 — Combination of Christkindlmarkt, Flea Market and Funfair
2026
About Kläschenmarkt
Kläschenmarkt — edition 2026
Edition 2026
The proven combination of Christmas market, flea market, and funfair will again shape Lemgo's cityscape over four days in 2026. The oldest documented roots date back to 1365.
Highlights Kläschenmarkt 2026
- Tradition since 1365 — one of Germany's oldest documented Christmas markets
- ~200 exhibitors along several kilometers of market street
- Full funfair on Regentorplatz (Ferris wheel, carousels, bumper cars)
- Late-night shopping on St. Nicholas' Day, Dec 6th (1 PM–6 PM)
- Mulled wine sales for charitable causes
- Weser Renaissance old town as a backdrop
Programme Kläschenmarkt 2026
Thursday, December 3, 2026 — Opening
- 11:00 AM — Opening on Mittelstraße
- Market operations on the entire market street
- Funfair on Regentorplatz opens (Ferris wheel, bumper cars, carousels)
Friday, December 4, 2026 — Market and Funfair Day
- Market operations and funfair all day
- Mulled wine sales for charitable causes on the market square
Saturday, December 5, 2026 — Main Visitor Day
- Largest crowds expected
- Market operations and funfair all day
- Live music / Advent music in front of the town hall
Sunday, December 6, 2026 — St. Nicholas' Day and Late-Night Shopping
- Daytime market operations and funfair
- 1:00 PM–6:00 PM — Late-night shopping in Lemgo's city center
- Evening — Festivities wind down
Updates at lemgo-marketing.de.
Prices Kläschenmarkt 2026
Free admission. Funfair rides and market goods paid for separately. Mulled wine from approx. €4–5.
Practical information — Kläschenmarkt
Getting there
Lemgo city center — Mittelstraße, Ostertor, Kastanienwall, Regentorplatz. By train: Lemgo station on the Bielefeld–Hameln line, 5 min walk to the city center. By car: A2/B238, parking garages in the city center.
Dates 2026
Thursday, December 3rd (Opening from 11:00 AM) to Sunday, December 6th, 2026. Sunday, Dec 6th: late-night shopping 1:00 PM–6:00 PM.
Admission
Free. Funfair rides and market goods paid for separately.
Contact for exhibitors
Lemgo Marketing e.V. — Bettina Sprank, Tel. 05261-213193, E-mail [email protected].
Kläschenmarkt — one of Germany's oldest Christmas markets
With its history dating back to 1365, the Kläschenmarkt in Lemgo is among the oldest documented Christmas markets in Germany — older than the famous Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt (documented since 1628). The name "Kläschen" is the Lippe dialect form of Nikolaus (Saint Nicholas) — the market originally fell on Saint Nicholas' Day and still gives this medieval connection its identity today.
200 stalls, funfair and flea market — a unique event
What sets the Kläschenmarkt apart from ordinary Christmas markets: It's not "just" a Christmas market, but a hybrid event:
- Classic Christkindlmarkt with stalls, mulled wine, bratwurst, candied almonds
- Large flea market with gift items, toys, fashion, household goods
- Full-scale funfair with rides on Regentorplatz (Ferris wheel, carousels, bumper cars)
A total of approx. 200 exhibitors along a market street several kilometers long — stretching from Mittelstraße across Ostertor, Kastanienwall, and the Bleiche parking lot to Regentorplatz.
Dates — 1st Thursday to Sunday in December
The Kläschenmarkt 2026 runs from Thursday, December 3rd to Sunday, December 6th, 2026:
- Thursday, Dec 3rd — Opening from 11:00 AM
- Friday, Dec 4th – Saturday, Dec 5th — Daily market operations
- Sunday, Dec 6th — Late-night shopping 1 PM–6 PM (in addition to market operations)
On the market square, aid organizations serve mulled wine and drinks — proceeds benefit charitable causes in Lemgo.
Lemgo and its historical context
Lemgo is a town in the Lippe district with about 41,000 inhabitants and one of the best-preserved Weser Renaissance old towns in Germany. The famous Hexenbürgermeisterhaus (Witch Mayor's House) commemorates the witch hunts of the 17th century, and the town hall is an architectural masterpiece. The Kläschenmarkt uses the historic city center as its backdrop — the combination of medieval-Gothic architecture, burgher houses, festively illuminated alleys, and lively market life creates the charm that has attracted people for over six and a half centuries.
Where it takes place Kläschenmarkt
Kläschenmarkt at a glance
History of Kläschenmarkt
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