Name: Osterkirmes Bochum 2026
Start: 2026-04-04T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-04-12T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Festplatz Castroper Straße Bochum

Osterkirmes Bochum

About Osterkirmes Bochum

The Osterkirmes Bochum is one of the largest spring funfairs in the Ruhr area — nine days of rides, market stalls, and family entertainment on Castroper Straße. In 2026, the funfair runs from Saturday, April 4 to Sunday, April 12, daily from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Classic rides include the nostalgic Hully-Gully carousel, a children's Ferris wheel, Bumper Cars "Formel Fun," and a chain carousel. Highlights: Easter Monday, April 6, with an Easter Bunny promotion (180 hidden eggs on opening day), and Family Day on Wednesday, April 8, with special discounts. Free admission.

Dates 04 Apr — 12 Apr 2026

Venue Bochum (05911)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Osterkirmes Bochum — edition 2026

Osterkirmes Bochum 2026 from April 4 to 12 on the Castroper Straße fairgrounds. Daily 2 PM–9 PM. Rides: Hully Gully, Children's Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars "Formel Fun," Chain Carousel, other carousels. Easter Monday April 6: Easter Bunny promotion (Opening day April 4: 180 hidden eggs). Family Day Wednesday April 8: Special discounts on many rides. Free admission. Organizer: City of Bochum / Bochum Showmen's Association.

Classic Ruhr area spring funfair with high family attendance. Food available at stalls at usual showmen's prices. Public transport recommended.

Highlights Osterkirmes Bochum 2026

9 days of spring funfair
Nostalgic Hully-Gully carousel
Easter Bunny promotion on Easter Monday
Family Day Wednesday with discounts
Free admission

Programme Osterkirmes Bochum 2026

Program Osterkirmes Bochum 2026

Saturday, April 4: Opening, 180 hidden eggs on opening day
Sunday, April 5 + Good Friday, April 3 (Note: Good Friday falls before the opening): Regular opening 2 PM–9 PM
Easter Monday, April 6: Easter Bunny promotion with candy distribution
Tuesday, April 7: Regular funfair day
Wednesday, April 8: Family Day with special discounts
Thursday, April 9 – Saturday, April 11: Regular opening
Sunday, April 12: Closing day of the Osterkirmes

Prices Osterkirmes Bochum 2026

Free admission. Rides and stalls at showmen's prices.

Practical information

Practical information — Osterkirmes Bochum

Getting There

Public Transport: U35 (Bochum Hbf → Herne) stop Riemke-Markt, approx. 10 min walk. Bus 364, 365, 368 (Castroper Straße). Car: A40 exit Bochum-Nord, ample parking around the fairgrounds (paid).

Prices

Free admission to the funfair grounds. Rides and stalls at showmen's prices. Family Day Wednesday, April 8: reduced prices.

Tip

Families should take advantage of Wednesday — discounts make Family Day significantly cheaper. Easter Monday with the Easter Bunny promotion is the highlight for children.

Spring Funfair in the Ruhr Area

The Osterkirmes Bochum is the city's annual spring Volksfest (traditional funfair) tradition in the heart of the Ruhr area. On the large fairgrounds on Castroper Straße, Bochum transforms into an amusement park for nine days with classic fairground rides, food stalls, and a mix of tradition and modern attractions.

Dates and Opening Hours 2026

Nine days of funfair from Saturday, April 4 to Sunday, April 12, 2026. Opening hours daily from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM. In 2026, the funfair takes place before Easter; the fairgrounds will be open on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Classic Rides

The 2026 ride program is a mix of modern and nostalgic attractions:

Hully Gully — the nostalgic carousel, one of the few remaining Bochum Hully-Gully versions
Kinder-Riesenrad (Children's Ferris Wheel) — a smaller version of the classic Ferris wheel, for families
Bumper Cars „Formel Fun“ — bumper cars with a Formula 1 look
Kettenkarussell (Chain Carousel) — the classic for those resistant to dizziness
Other carousels, shooting galleries, lottery stalls, candy stands, classic food trucks

Easter Monday — Easter Bunny Promotion

The highlight for families is Easter Monday, April 6, 2026: The "Easter Bunny" will distribute small gifts and hide sweets throughout the fairgrounds. On the opening day (Saturday, April 4), a showman's opening competition with 180 hidden eggs had already taken place — children were allowed to search, and one lucky winner, according to organizer Andreas Petter, found "30 to 40 eggs.".

Family Day on Wednesday

A classic at Ruhr area funfairs: Family Day on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Many rides and food stalls offer special discounts and reduced prices — particularly attractive for families with children.

Traditional City Festival

Organizer Andreas Petter and the Bochum Showmen's Association emphasize the preservation of the Volksfest tradition: The Osterkirmes is important "to strengthen the bond between showmen and regular Bochum guests." Families from Bochum and the region have been coming to Castroper Straße for generations.

Bochum and Castroper Straße

Bochum, with around 365,000 inhabitants, is the second-largest city in the Ruhr area and an important central hub (university, theater, music scene). Castroper Straße in the northeast of the city has a permanent fairground that hosts funfair events several times a year — in addition to the Osterkirmes, there is also an autumn funfair and smaller events.