Libori Paderborn

Libori — Paderborn's "Fifth Season"

Anyone who grew up in Paderborn knows the significance of this one word: Libori. The festival is over a thousand years old — its roots reach back to the year 836, when the relics of Saint Liborius of Le Mans were transferred to Paderborn. Since then, the city has celebrated its high feast every summer — for nine days, with the intensity of a fifth season. 1.8 million visitors come annually, and admission is free everywhere.

The Three Pillars — Church, Culture, Funfair

Libori rests on three pillars that together constitute the essence of the festival:

• Church: the spiritual program with the solemn Pontifical Mass in the Paderborn Cathedral, the spectacular Liborius Procession through the old town with the gilded relics, vespers, and ecumenical services.
• Culture: the so-called Liborinale with concerts in central squares, open-air theater, readings, stage programs for every genre — folk alongside jazz, classical alongside pop.
• Funfair: the folk festival on Liboriberg and Maspernplatz with rides, a Ferris wheel, stalls, food stands — Westphalia's largest city festival-funfair format.

The Markets

Two markets are inextricably linked to Libori: the Arts and Crafts Market with handmade products made of ceramics, textiles, jewelry, and wood; and the traditional Pfennigmarkt, a historically grown flea and antique market around the Cathedral Square. Both attract their own audience — one curated, the other treasure-seeking.

Daily Program

Libori runs daily from 11 a.m. to midnight. The religious opening on Saturday (Pontifical Mass + Procession) leads into the multi-day folk festival, which lasts until the following Sunday. Highlights traditionally include the evening concerts in the Cathedral Square, the nighttime funfair operations, and the grand closing fireworks.

History with Deep Impact

The Translatio (relics transfer) in 836 marks the beginning of one of Europe's oldest city partnerships: between Paderborn and Le Mans in France. This connection is celebrated at Libori to this day — a delegation from Le Mans participates in the High Mass every year. Thus, Libori is not only a folk festival but also embedded in a European tradition of spiritual fellowship.

Paderborn — The City Behind the Festival

Paderborn, with almost 155,000 inhabitants, is a university city and the seat of a bishop in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia. The city is named after the three Pader springs, one of Germany's shortest and most water-rich rivers. Precisely this individuality — a mix of Catholic tradition, technical university, and East Westphalian pragmatism — also shapes Libori. It is a festival that is unparalleled in Germany in its combination of religion, culture, and people.