Schlangenfest Velbert

Velbert — Schlosspark, Castle, and Schlangenfest

Velbert, with just under 81,000 inhabitants in the Mettmann district in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, lies on the southern edge of the Bergisches Land region. The city is known for its lock and hardware industry (Velbert has been a world leader in the production of locks and door fittings since the 19th century) and for the Holy City of Neviges, which is now a district. The Velbert pedestrian zone on Friedrichstraße forms the heart of the city center — and is the venue for the Schlangenfest.

Largest Children's Festival in the Mettmann District

The Schlangenfest is not just one of the children's festivals in Velbert — according to the organizers, it is the largest children's festival in the entire Mettmann district. This is a deliberate claim: in the Mettmann district with 480,000 inhabitants and ten towns (Velbert, Hilden, Ratingen, Erkrath, Mettmann, Heiligenhaus, Langenfeld, Monheim, Wülfrath, Haan), numerous children's festivals compete — the Schlangenfest stands out due to its size, diversity, and consistent free-of-charge policy.

50 Hands-on Stations

Characteristic are the around 50 hands-on stations distributed along the pedestrian zone. They offer children a wide range of active experiences: bouncy castles, climbing frames, giant slides, craft tables, face painting, movement courses, lucky dips, water games, skill games, mini-disco. All activities are free of charge — a clear statement against the practice of many children's festivals charging fees at individual stations.

Main Stage and Walking Acts

On the central stage, Velbert clubs present performances of their work — dance schools, sports clubs, music schools, carnival societies, scouts, youth groups. Between stage performances, walking acts parade through the pedestrian zone: clowns, stilt walkers, giant figures, bubble artists, magicians — they provide continuous entertainment without children having to go to a fixed stage.

Sunday Shopping

In parallel with the children's festival, Velbert shops open for Sunday shopping from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. This is the second pillar of the event: while children play, parents can stroll and shop. Thus, the Schlangenfest is simultaneously a children's festival and city center activation — a dual strategy consistently pursued by Stadtmarketing Velbert.

Why "Schlangenfest"?

The name refers to Velbert's lock industry — in Velbert dialect, Schlange refers both to the industry and the city's symbol. Velbert confidently calls itself the Schlossstadt (Lock City); the Schlangenfest makes this identity tangible for the younger generation — with a wink, as most children primarily see the play equipment and not the industrial symbol behind it.