Sustainability Weeks Hamme

Three Weeks of Sustainability in Bochum-Hamme

The Sustainability Weeks Hamme are a decentralized district festival in Bochum-Hamme, taking place from May 1st to 20th, 2026. Over three weeks, around 15 local initiatives, associations, and organizations invite you to engage with topics such as community, sustainability, urban wildlife, upcycling, and participatory urban design. The entire district is the venue — and admission to all events is free.

Hamme — The Underrated Bochum District

Hamme is a district located in western Bochum with around 16,000 inhabitants. For a long time, the neighborhood was considered the "backyard" — hardly a tourist destination, shaped by mining history and a multicultural population. In recent years, the Hamme district management, together with civil society actors, has set the goal of making Hamme visible as a livable, sustainable neighborhood. The Sustainability Weeks are the showcase for this work.

Program Highlights

The program is intentionally diverse and decentralized. Over the three weeks, the following will take place:

• Courtyard Flea Markets and Bicycle Exchange — Flea markets in courtyards and public spaces, trading and selling used bikes
• Theater and Upcycling Workshops — Hands-on workshops for all age groups
• Bat and Wildlife Tours — Guided evening tours with conservation experts
• Information and Hands-on Stands — Drinking water dispensers, dye gardens, urban nature
• Cemetery Workshops — Insights into the wildlife of cemeteries (often the quietest biotopes in the city)
• Senior Activities and Exchange Café — Intergenerational offerings

Highlight: Street Play Festival Haldenstraße on May 9th

The absolute highlight of the Sustainability Weeks is the Street Play Festival on Haldenstraße on Saturday, May 9th, 2026. Haldenstraße will be closed to car traffic for one day and become a pure play street — children play on the asphalt, neighbors bring out benches and tables, creating a street festival with live music, workshops, cake, and conversations. It is the moment when the vision of a "livable, car-free district" becomes concrete for a day.

Who is Organizing?

Behind the festival is the Hamme District Management — an interface between the City of Bochum and its residents. In Hamme-Mitte at the district office, the staff coordinate the participating initiatives. Among them are environmental protection associations, migrant self-organizations, church communities, schools, the neighboring Westpark district, and committed individuals from the district. The complete program will be published before the festival begins at bochum-mitgestalten.de.

Why a Visit is Worthwhile

Anyone coming from the rest of Bochum or the Ruhr area will get to know a district that is reinventing itself. Those who come from Hamme itself will discover their neighborhood with different eyes. And anyone interested in urban development, sustainability, and community work will find a successful format here that works without a large budget and without commercial logic — driven by people who love their district.