Ostervolksfest Mönchengladbach

A Traditional Easter Funfair on the Lower Rhine

The Ostervolksfest Mönchengladbach is one of the important spring funfair events on the western Lower Rhine. It annually opens the city's folk festival season — alongside the summer and autumn editions, it's one of three major funfair dates in Mönchengladbach's city calendar.

When: April 4th–12th, 2026 (Holy Saturday to the Sunday after Easter)

The 2026 Ostervolksfest starts on Holy Saturday, April 4th, 2026, and runs for nine days beyond Easter until Sunday, April 12th, 2026. This timing over the Easter holidays is strategic: Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays, giving families time to visit the funfair with children.

Where: Alter Markt Mönchengladbach

The venue is the historic Alter Markt in Mönchengladbach's city center. A central location right in the business district — within walking distance of the main train station and easily accessible by tram. The market was Mönchengladbach's trading center for centuries and remains a vibrant meeting point for the city today.

What to Experience

Rides

A classic selection of funfair rides will be set up: dodgems from the Eylart company (a classic), a Ferris wheel or carousel, roller coasters for younger adrenaline enthusiasts, haunted house, children's carousel. The exact offerings vary annually.

Funfair Specialties

• Reibekuchen (potato pancakes) with apple sauce or salmon — a Rhineland specialty
• Bratwurst, Currywurst, Fries
• Almonds, cotton candy, candy apples
• Mulled wine in the cool spring night air
• Crêpes, waffles, candy stalls

Stalls and Games

Shooting galleries, lottery stalls, ring toss, horse racing stalls — the classic funfair games for prizes and plush toys.

Holy Saturday — The Traditional Opening Day

Holy Saturday is a classic funfair opening day on the Lower Rhine calendar. The showmen come from all over the Lower Rhine, many bringing their families. The opening in the late afternoon brings the first visitors — followed by the full program in the evening.

Family and Evening Program

During the day, families are the main visitors — children ride the carousel, parents try Reibekuchen. From the late afternoon, the crowd shifts: young adults, couples, groups come for dodgems, beer, and a bit of adrenaline.

Mönchengladbach — The City

Mönchengladbach, with around 260,000 inhabitants, is the central city in the western Lower Rhine region. Known primarily for the Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach, the textile and fashion industry (weaving tradition), the Bauhaus Museum „Schloss Rheydt“, and a lively student life. The city is located just 30 kilometers west of Düsseldorf and is easily reachable by train.