KulturFest h4 Hamm

KulturFest h4 2026 — Three Days of City Centre in Festival Mode

When Hamm's city centre is closed to traffic on the weekend of 11 to 13 September 2026 and seven stages are set up on the main squares, it's that time again: KulturFest h4 transforms the city centre between Bahnhofstraße, Marktplatz, and Kurpark into an open festival mile. The event is one of Westphalia's largest freely accessible cultural festivals, annually bringing together over 700 artists from Hamm, the region, and the entire German-speaking area.

2026 Programme — Seven Stages, All Disciplines

Stages and Venues

The h4 traditionally features the most important squares in Hamm's city centre:

• Marktplatz — Main stage with headliners
• Pauluskirchplatz — Singer-songwriters, acoustic formats
• Bahnhofstraße — Street music, mobile acts
• Kurhausplatz — Cabaret, comedy
• Heinrich-von-Kleist-Forum — Readings, literature, indoor concerts
• Park am Schillerplatz — Children's and family programme
• Kunstmeile (Art Mile) along Weststraße — Studio visits, exhibitions, performance art

Artist Profiles

The h4 traditionally focuses on a mix of local artists and national acts:

• Local Artists: Bands, choirs, ensembles from Hamm and the surrounding area
• Regional Headliners: Well-known acts from Westphalia-Lippe
• Crossover Acts: Indie pop, world music, folk, soul, hip-hop
• Classical and Jazz: in the Pauluskirche and the Heinrich-von-Kleist-Forum
• Dance and Performance: contemporary companies, street dance
• Cabaret, Comedy, Stand-Up on the Kurhaus stage
• Interactive Art Activities for adults and children

Kunstmeile — Visual Arts in Public Space

A special feature of the h4 is the Kunstmeile (Art Mile) along Weststraße. Local galleries, studios, and art schools open their doors for the weekend, present works in public spaces, and invite participation. The disciplines range from painting and sculpture to printmaking, digital media, street art, and performance.

Interactive Activities for the Whole Family

The h4 is not just a stage, but a participatory festival. Visitors can get involved at many stations:

• Workshops for children (painting, drumming, dance, theatre)
• Participatory concerts and choir singing
• Street art events with artist guidance
• Dance workshops in the squares
• Creative workshops in the galleries

Stadtwerke Hamm and #h4-KulturSommer

The main sponsor of KulturFest h4 is Stadtwerke Hamm. The h4 is part of the #h4-KulturSommer, an umbrella brand of the City of Hamm for its summer programming. This brand also includes the KulturNacht (Culture Night, early September), the Westfälische Musikfestival Hamm (Westphalian Music Festival Hamm, June–July), and smaller events around the Stadtwerke stage.

Hamm — City on the Edge of the Ruhr Area

The independent city of Hamm, with around 180,000 inhabitants, is located on the eastern edge of the Ruhr area, on the Lippe river and the eastern Hellweg. Long shaped by mining and as a railway hub (today one of Europe's largest marshalling yards), Hamm has repositioned itself as a centre for culture and education in recent decades. With the Maximilianpark, the Kurpark Bad Hamm, the Heinrich-von-Kleist-Forum, and the Gustav-Lübcke-Museum, the city offers a dense cultural programme that KulturFest h4 brings to the streets every year in September.