Menden Pentecost Fair

300th Anniversary of the Menden Pentecost Fair

The Menden Pentecost Fair celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2026! Since 1726, it has been a fixture in the Sauerland region and is considered the largest downtown fair in the Sauerland. In 2026, the anniversary celebration runs from Saturday, May 23rd to Tuesday, May 26th (Pentecost weekend). Over 200 exhibitors, including rides, food, and game stalls, are spread throughout downtown Menden. The City of Menden is the organizer, celebrating the anniversary with numerous special events.

Pre-Opening Friday, May 22nd — Festival Tent Kick-off

The anniversary program begins on Friday, May 22nd, 2026:

• 3:00 PM — Human Foosball tournament on the Market Square
• 6:00 PM — Festival tent opening at Margot-Friedländer-Platz with welcome address
• 8:00 PM–11:00 PM — Nostalgic anniversary evening with the 100-year-old caterpillar ride

Saturday, May 23rd — Official Opening at 2 PM

The official opening of the fair takes place on Saturday at 2:00 PM by the Mayor on the Old Town Hall Square with the traditional tapping of the beer keg. Afterwards, the fairgrounds are open until midnight.

Sunday and Monday — Main Fair Days

Sunday and Monday are the main fair days. Opening hours:

• Sunday, May 24th: 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM
• Monday, May 25th (Pentecost Monday): 11:30 AM – 12:00 AM
• Tuesday, May 26th: 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Anniversary Highlights 2026

For its 300th anniversary, the city is offering numerous special promotions:

• Limited edition commemorative mugs at all beverage stands
• 0-Euro collector's note for €5 — limited to 3,000 copies
• Anniversary teddy bears for collectors
• Historical exhibition at the Hönnetreff with press reports and photos from 300 years of the Pentecost Fair
• Walking acts will roam downtown from Saturday to Tuesday

Over 60 Rides and Stalls

The fair combines classic rides and showman highlights:

• „Roue Parisienne“ — large Ferris wheel
• „Breakdance“ — the fair classic
• „Space X“ — propeller rotation
• Children's carousels, haunted house, bumper cars
• Food stalls — grilled salmon, churros, Asian specialties, classic bratwurst and potato pancakes
• Sweets stalls — candied almonds, crêpes, gingerbread

Tuesday — Fair Rally, Happy Hour, and Fireworks

Tuesday offers special highlights for families:

• 11:00 AM–2:00 PM — Fair Rally for children aged 2–14 with a prize pass
• 3:00 PM — Prize drawing for the rally's grand prizes
• 3:00 PM–6:00 PM — Happy Hour: 50% discount on all rides
• Late evening — Traditional fireworks to conclude the festival

Arrival and Shuttle

On Pentecost Sunday and Monday, the city offers a free shuttle bus every 30 minutes between the park-and-ride lots on the outskirts and the city center — also wheelchair accessible. Regional and S-Bahn train services will be increased during peak times. Bicycle parking is available at several points.

Menden (Sauerland) — Town in the Märkischer Kreis

Menden is located in the Sauerland region of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Märkischer Kreis district. The town has around 53,000 inhabitants and is a medium-sized industrial and commercial center between Iserlohn, Hagen, and Arnsberg. It is characterized by the Hönne river (a tributary of the Ruhr) and the Sauerland landscape of forests and hillsides. The Pentecost Fair has been Menden's most important city festival and landmark for 300 years.