Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen 2026 (80th Edition) — Edition 2025

You are viewing a past edition (2025)

This event has already taken place.

See current edition
01 May 2025 — 15 Jun 2025 Finished

Overview

The 79th Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen took place from May 1 to June 15, 2025, across the city's various venues. Featuring theatre, dance, literature, music, and cabaret with an international lineup, and the traditional opening on May 1 with the Culture Volksfest and DGB demonstration. The 80th edition in 2026 marks a historic anniversary, as the festival has been held uninterrupted since 1947 — as Europe's oldest theatre festival.

The 2025 edition continued the tradition: six weeks of festival time, a high-calibre international lineup, and the Culture Volksfest on May 1. In the run-up to the 80th anniversary edition in 2026, planning began for the special edition with its logistical challenge of venue distribution due to the main theatre's renovation.

Programme

Six weeks of festival time featuring theatre, dance, circus, literature, music, and cabaret across several venues in Recklinghausen — traditionally opened with the Culture Volksfest and DGB demonstration on May 1.

Spotted an error or missing information?

Help us keep this edition up to date. Each suggestion is reviewed by our team before being published.

← Back to the festival page