Krefeld PUR

Krefeld — Velvet City with Fashion DNA

Krefeld on the Lower Rhine, with around 235,000 inhabitants, is one of North Rhine-Westphalia's ten largest cities. It's not without reason that it's nicknamed "Velvet and Silk City". In the 18th and 19th centuries, Krefeld was one of Europe's most important centers for silk weaving — the wealth from this industry shaped the city's appearance to this day (villas on Ostwall, representative bourgeois houses, the famous Haus Lange/Haus Esters by Mies van der Rohe). This fashion and textile DNA can still be felt in the 21st century — and once a year, the city marketing makes it a visible festival: Krefeld PUR.

What is Krefeld PUR?

Krefeld PUR is the annual downtown festival organized by the Werbegemeinschaft Krefeld — the umbrella organization of Krefeld's retail trade. Over a weekend in September, the entire city center (Ostwall, Hochstraße, Schwanenmarkt, Neumarkt) becomes a stage — with catwalks in the middle of the pedestrian zones, brand presentations, designer appearances, fashion shows, gastronomy pop-ups, live music, and a Sunday shopping event. The festival positions Krefeld as a fashion, enjoyment, and lifestyle destination and represents the city's fashion tradition in a contemporary form.

2026 Program — Two Days of Downtown Festival

• Saturday, September 19, 2026, 10 AM–6 PM — Main festival day with all shows, designer presentations, and stage program. Fashion shows several times a day on the catwalks. Live music on multiple stages.
• Sunday, September 20, 2026, 1 PM–6 PM — Sunday shopping. All downtown stores open, complemented by fashion shows, live music, and a children's program.

What You'll Experience at Krefeld PUR

• Catwalks and Fashion Shows — local boutiques and designers present autumn-winter collections on long stages in the pedestrian zones
• Designer Presentations — Krefeld and Lower Rhine designers showcase their collections, often with interview formats
• Interactive Activities — styling advice, personal shopping, make-up stations, photo shoots
• Culinary Offerings — pop-up restaurants, street food, catering by Krefeld restaurateurs, wine stands
• Live Music — bands on multiple stages, from acoustic sets to DJ sets
• Children's Program — hands-on activities, bouncy castles, face painting stations
• Sunday Shopping — all downtown stores open

Werbegemeinschaft Krefeld

The organizer is the Werbegemeinschaft Krefeld — the official marketing organization for Krefeld's retail trade, supported by the retailers, restaurateurs, and service providers of the city center. Krefeld PUR is their most ambitious event and part of a strategy to position the city center as an experience location against the pressure of e-commerce and competition from neighboring cities (Düsseldorf, Mönchengladbach).

Discover Krefeld

For those combining a festival visit with a city stroll: Krefeld Castle (Burg Linn) with its castle museum, the Mies van der Rohe villas Haus Lange and Haus Esters (now art museums), Krefeld-Linn Castle (Schloss Krefeld-Linn), the Krefeld Zoo, or a trip to the famous Krefeld Racecourse (Pferderennbahn Krefeld) are all options.