Medieval Market at the Dragon Bridge Recklinghausen

Medieval Market at the Dragon Bridge — Recklinghausen's Young Classic

If you prefer medieval flair without midsummer heat and want to spend a whole day with family and friends in the Vest Recklinghausen region for free, the Medieval Market at the Dragon Bridge in early October is an honest recommendation. The event started in 2023 as a premiere on a former mining wasteland in the Hochlarmark district — and has developed into a firm fixture in Recklinghausen's event calendar within three years.

2026 — Tertia Editio, Three Days for the First Time

The special feature of the 2026 edition: For the first time, the market will start on Friday — running for three full days instead of the usual two. This extension is a response to the great public success of previous years (first edition in 2023, second edition in 2024 with doubled visitor numbers) and gives you more flexibility for your visit — Friday might be for those working after hours, Saturday and Sunday for the classic family crowd.

What to Expect — Market Stalls, Crafts, Combat Displays

The market focuses on an authentic medieval atmosphere with a curated selection of crafts and goods:

• Market stalls with crafts and goods from yesteryear — leather goods, mead, furs, jewelry, garments, incense, wooden toys
• Historical crafts live — blacksmiths, turners, potters, felt makers, bookbinders demonstrate their skills
• Combat display performances — armor, sword, battle axe: Liberum Fantasy and friends show medieval martial arts
• Juggling and acrobatics — minstrels wandering the marketplace
• Bird of prey shows and falconry — impressive flight demonstrations with buzzards, falcons, owls
• Medieval music — the groups Reigenwildig and Kobolde are proven regular acts and provide the musical accompaniment
• Fire shows — Friday and Saturday evenings (typical festival format)
• Knight camp — authentically equipped camp with tents, field kitchen, weapons, and equipment

Family Program

The children's area is generously designed — after all, the German Child Protection Association Recklinghausen is a co-organizer. Hands-on workshops, archery, children's combat experiences, historical games, and historical carriage rides through the old town are on the program. The market is explicitly designed to be family-friendly and well-suited for a family outing from kindergarten age.

Organizers — Liberum Fantasy, a Local Hobby Club

The heart of the event is Liberum Fantasy, a medieval hobby group from Recklinghausen that organizes the market on a voluntary basis without commercial profit motives. Co-organizers since the beginning have been the German Child Protection Association Recklinghausen; the City of Recklinghausen provides the grounds and logistical support. You can feel this local commitment — the market is not a "medieval corporation," but club life with high authenticity.

Location — the Hochlarmark District Park at the Dragon Bridge

The venue is a special Recklinghausen address: the Old Pumping Station at the Dragon Bridge in the Hochlarmark District Park, a renatured mining wasteland in the north of Recklinghausen. The Dragon Bridge is an iconic industrial monument bridge in Recklinghausen, which today crosses the park and gives the market its name. The mix of industrial backdrop and medieval ambiance makes the market visually extraordinary — historical site meets historical play.

Free Admission

Admission is free — a conscious statement by the organizers for low-threshold participation. Food, drinks, and market purchases are handled by the on-site stalls.