14th Recklinghausen Zoo Festival

14th Tierparkfest — an established tradition

The Recklinghausen Zoo Festival is the central annual event of the Recklinghausen Zoo in the Stadtgarten. The 14th edition takes place on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. — an event that attracts thousands of families from the Vest and the Ruhr area every year. The event is organised by the City of Recklinghausen in conjunction with the zoo team.

The Recklinghausen Zoo — a remarkable gem

The zoo in Stadtgarten 2 is a small but remarkable facility in the Ruhr area:

• Size: approx. 1 hectare
• Animals: around 250
• Enclosures: 20
• Main attractions: Rhesus monkeys, fennec foxes, Ouessant sheep (world's smallest sheep breed), guinea pigs, as well as birds, reptiles, and small mammals
• Admission: free all year round — one of the few free zoos in the Ruhr area

The zoo is lovingly cared for by dedicated keepers and is an important destination for families with small children — manageable, without mass tourism, but intimate and close to nature.

The Festival Programme — what happens on Sunday, September 13

The Zoo Festival expands the normal zoo operations with a colourful family programme:

• Interactive stations on the topics of animals, nature conservation, and biodiversity
• Stage programme with children's music, animal presentations, and show acts
• Animal sponsorship encounters — keepers introduce their protégés
• Feeding demonstrations at various enclosures
• Snack stands with sausages, rolls, cakes, and drinks
• Play activities for children and families
• Nature conservation info stands from regional associations

Stadtgarten — the green park in the heart of Recklinghausen

The Recklinghausen Stadtgarten is one of the city's central green spaces — a classic urban park with old trees, playgrounds, meadows, and the zoo as a special highlight. The park is within walking distance of the main train station and the city centre. During the Zoo Festival, not only the zoo itself transforms, but the adjacent park areas also become part of the festivities.

Recklinghausen and its Animals

The Vest Recklinghausen region, with its rural-urban character, has a remarkable commitment to nature conservation despite its industrial past. The free zoo in the Stadtgarten is part of the city's identity — a place where generations of Recklinghausen residents marvelled at animals for the first time as children, and where parents now return with their own children.

Why free?

The zoo is financed by municipal funds, donations, animal sponsorships, and volunteer work. The Zoo Festival is a fundraising event combined with free admission — visitors are invited to become animal sponsors or to donate for the zoo through snacks and a raffle. A conscious approach to citizen engagement that other large cities with commercial zoos have long abandoned.