Rheinbach Autumn Fair

Rheinbach and its Fair Tradition

Rheinbach is a medium-sized town in the Rhein-Sieg district (North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne administrative region) with around 28,000 inhabitants – on the edge of the Eifel, southwest of Bonn. The town celebrates two major folk festivals per year: the May Fair (late April/early May) and the Autumn Fair (September). The organizer is the Public Order Department of the City of Rheinbach, which coordinates site allocation and the safety concept.

Three Streets Become a Fairground

What's special about the Rheinbach Autumn Fair is its setup: not on an isolated fairground, but along three central streets of the city center – Himmeroder Wall, Prümer Wall, and Pützstraße. This location in the heart of the city creates a special atmosphere: the fair is part of urban life, the shops and cafés in the city center benefit from the influx of visitors, and the festivities become an staging of the urban space.

Over 50 Showmen on 5,000 Square Meters

With its size (over 5,000 square meters of fairground, more than 50 showmen), the Rheinbach Autumn Fair is one of the larger fair events in the southern Rhein-Sieg district. The range of offerings includes classics and innovations: bumper cars, chain carousel, wave flyer, haunted house, wild mouse, children's roller coasters, shooting galleries, lottery stalls, crêpe stands, almonds and sweets, fries, bratwurst, potato pancakes.

Opening Friday 6 PM with Keg Tapping

The opening ceremony is a classic element of Rhenish fair traditions: the mayor of Rheinbach will perform the keg tapping on Friday, September 18, 2026, at 6 PM – the symbolic opening of the five fair days. The first beer is served to the mayor, after which the showmen's operations begin for the public.

Closing Fireworks Tuesday Evening

The highlight of the Autumn Fair is the fireworks display on Tuesday evening (September 22, 2026, around 10 PM). The city of Rheinbach concludes the fair with a pyrotechnic show – visible from the ramparts, the grand finale that bids farewell to the showmen's setup.

Location and Travel

Rheinbach is located about 20 kilometers southwest of Bonn and 30 kilometers southwest of Cologne. By train: Voreifelbahn (RB 23) from Bonn Hbf to Rheinbach (approx. 30 minutes). By car: A 61 exit Meckenheim or Bornheim. During the fair, the city center is partially closed – use public transport or park in the surrounding residential streets.