Medieval Market at the Dragon Bridge Recklinghausen

Medieval Market at the Drachenbrücke — Recklinghausen's rising classic

If you are looking for medieval flair without the midsummer heat and want to spend a day with family and friends in the Vest Recklinghausen area, the Medieval Market at the Drachenbrücke in early October is the place to be. The event premiered in 2023 on a former industrial wasteland in the Hochlarmark district and has since become a staple in Recklinghausen's event calendar.

2026 — Editio Quarta, now three days long

The 2026 edition marks the fourth installment of the market. A new feature is the start on Friday, extending the event to three full days instead of the usual two. Friday evening is themed “Heavymetalalter”: bands Bosparans Fall and Silent Revenants will provide a musically unique kick-off before the classic family program continues on Saturday and Sunday.

What to expect — market stalls, crafts, and combat

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

• Market stalls with traditional crafts and goods — leather goods, mead, furs, jewelry, costumes, incense, wooden toys
• Live historical crafts — blacksmiths, woodturners, potters, felters, and bookbinders demonstrating their skills
• Combat demonstrations — Liberum Fantasy and Draco Saxum showcase medieval martial arts with armor, swords, and battle axes
• Jesters and acrobatics on the market square
• Falconry and birds of prey — flight demonstrations with buzzards, falcons, and owls
• Medieval music with Reigenwildig and Kobolde on Saturday and Sunday
• Fire shows in the evening
• Knight's camp with tents, field kitchen, weapons, and equipment

Family program

Hands-on workshops, archery, a children's combat experience, and historical games are all on the agenda. The market is designed to be child-friendly and is perfect for a family outing for children of kindergarten age and up.

Organizers — Liberum Fantasy and Draco Saxum, in partnership with the city and the Child Protection Association

The market is run by the medieval hobbyist groups Liberum Fantasy and Draco Saxum, who organize it on a voluntary basis. Cooperation partners include the City of Recklinghausen, which provides the grounds, and the German Child Protection Association (Deutscher Kinderschutzbund) Recklinghausen, which benefits from the event's proceeds.

Location — the Hochlarmark district park at the Drachenbrücke

The venue is the Old Pump House at the Drachenbrücke in the Hochlarmark district park, a renatured former mining site in the north of Recklinghausen. The Drachenbrücke, an industrial monument, crosses the park and gives the market its name. The blend of industrial backdrop and medieval ambiance makes the market visually unique.

Admission

Adults pay €5.00, €3.00 in costume; children under 12 are admitted free. Food and shopping are handled directly at the stalls on-site.