Lippborger Markt

Four Days of Volksfest on the Edge of the Soester Börde

The Lippborger Markt is one of the most traditional local festivals in the region between Soester Börde and Münsterland. The name itself refers to its original function: a market day that has taken place on the last Tuesday in August in Lippborg for centuries — today embedded in a four-day Volksfest with fairground rides, a marquee and stage program. The municipality of Lippetal has around 12,000 inhabitants and consists of several villages, of which Lippborg is one of the liveliest.

Program 2026 — August 22 to 25

Saturday to Monday — Fairground Rides and Festival Marquee

Three days of fairground rides for young and old: dodgems, chain carousel, Ferris wheel, classic showman stalls with sweets, lottery, shooting galleries and candied almonds. In the evening, bands from the region play in the marquee — typically cover bands, carnival orchestras and Schlager artists — late into the night. On Sunday, the program expands to include a morning pint, performances by music bands and a family program.

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 — Market and Livestock Market

The highlight: the traditional market and livestock market. While horses, cattle and sheep were traded in the past, today small animals — rabbits, chickens, poultry — dominate, as well as a large market with hundreds of stalls stretching along the main street. This is complemented by agricultural exhibitions, riding demonstrations and small-scale horse trading. This combination of livestock market and general market has become rare in Westphalia today — Lippborg is one of the last places where it is still practiced in this form.

Local Festival with a Long History

Market traditions in Lippborg can be traced back to the 19th century, with roots likely extending even further back. In agrarian Westphalia, the market was the meeting point for trade with farmers from the Soester Börde and Münsterland — and incidentally, the occasion for a large village festival. This dual function — economic and social — has carried the market through all societal changes.

Lippetal as a Travel Region

The municipality of Lippetal lies on the river Lippe of the same name, east of Hamm and north of Soest. The landscape is characterized by the wide Soester Börde with its fertile soils, interspersed with forests and floodplain landscapes along the Lippe. Those who combine the Lippborger Markt with a weekend in the region can easily include the Möhnesee lake, the medieval town of Soest with its green Bördekreuzkirche church, and the city of Hamm.