RadKulTour Bielefeld 2026 (6th Edition)

Bielefeld North — The Green North of the Metropolis

Bielefeld, the seventh-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia with around 340,000 inhabitants, has a distinctly green north: The districts around Heepen, Schildesche, Senne, and Stieghorst are crisscrossed by a dense network of waterways (Johannisbach, Lutter, Schwarzbach), retention ponds, parks, and recreational areas — collectively known as "Das grüne Netz" (The Green Network), a continuous cycling and hiking route that runs through Bielefeld North. Against this backdrop, the Bielefeld Cultural Office launched the RadKulTour in 2021 — and in 2026, the 6th edition will take place.

The Concept — Experiencing Culture, Not Just Consuming It

The RadKulTour is not a classic festival with a fixed stage, but a decentralized cultural format spread over a 16 km cycling route. Participants ride their own bikes (or walk, or use wheelchairs) along the route — and encounter concerts, theater scenes, dance performances, readings, and art installations at various stations. The artists perform multiple times between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, allowing each visitor to create their own choreography of riding, pausing, watching performances, and continuing.

The Route — Along the Green Network

The approximately 16 km long route follows the "Das grüne Netz" cycle path and connects the most important green spots in Bielefeld North. Main stations in 2026:

• Stauteiche (Retention Ponds) — the artificial reservoirs on the eastern outskirts of the city
• Wandelmühle (Water Mill) — a historic water mill
• Marktplatz Heepen (Heepen Market Square) — the center of the Heepen district
• Obersee (Upper Lake) — recreational area in the northeast
• Johannisbach (Stream) — the waterway that runs through the entire northern part of the city
• Nordpark (North Park) — the large city park in the north

Each main station offers several hours of programming, plus smaller "off-stations" along the route. The exact GPX route guide will be published in advance on kulturamt-bielefeld.de.

70 Artists from 5 Disciplines

The program features around 70 artists from Bielefeld's art scene and the region:

• Music — Ensembles, bands, solo artists ranging from classical to jazz, pop, and singer-songwriters
• Theater — Short theater scenes, performance art, improvisation
• Visual Arts — Sculptures, installations, live painting
• Dance — Modern choreographies, folk dance, performance dance
• Literature — Readings, poetry slams, literary performances

This multidisciplinary approach makes the RadKulTour a true cross-section of the Bielefeld cultural scene.

Sustainability as a Core Theme

The Bielefeld Cultural Office explicitly positions the RadKulTour as a sustainability format: "creative ways to combine a culture of sustainability with innovative sustainability in culture," it states in its self-description. Specifically, this means: arriving by bike (instead of car), performances in nature (instead of air-conditioned concert halls), regional artists (instead of international stars with a carbon footprint), and thematic focuses on ecology, nature, and sustainability.

Accessibility

The RadKulTour is not just a cycling event: It is fully accessible and can also be completed by wheelchair or on foot. The route is paved or has well-maintained paths. Those who don't want to complete the entire 16 km can join and leave at any point — the main stations are also accessible by public transport.

Participation and Practical Information

Participation is completely free, no registration required. Simply come to the nearest station with your own bike (or wheelchair, or on foot) and follow the marked route. Route guides as a GPX file and printed map will be provided in advance on kulturamt-bielefeld.de. Detailed program with schedules per station also on the website. Contact: Bielefeld Cultural Office, Phone +49 521/51-8537.