Name: Warburger Oktoberwoche 2026
Start: 2026-10-03T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-10-11T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Festplatz, Stadthalle und Innenstadt Warburg

Oktoberwoche Warburg

About Oktoberwoche Warburg

Ten days of hustle and bustle in the heart of the Hanseatic city: The Warburger Oktoberwoche is one of the largest folk festivals between Kassel and Paderborn. In 2026, the 77th edition will open from October 3rd to 11th with amusement rides, a festival tent, city hall events, and the traditional closing fireworks. The new festival host is Köster Event + Gastronomie from the neighboring Hochstift region — with a modernized concept, a beer garden between the festival tent and the fairground, and a consistent beer price of €3.50. The highlight of the sports week remains the 49th Oktoberwochenlauf on Sunday, alongside Family Day, Senior Afternoon, and the Mayor's keg tapping ceremony.

Dates 03 Oct — 11 Oct 2026

Venue Warburg (05762)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Oktoberwoche Warburg — edition 2026

The 77th Warburger Oktoberwoche runs from October 3rd to 11th, 2026 — ten days of festival tent, fairground, Stadthalle events, and sports in the Hanseatic city of Warburg. New festival host: Köster Event + Gastronomie from the Hochstift region. Beer price €3.50. Highlights: Mayor's keg tapping ceremony, Family Day, 49th Oktoberwochenlauf, and closing fireworks.

From October 3rd to 11th, 2026, the Hanseatic city of Warburg will celebrate its 77th Oktoberwoche. The organizers are the Hanseatic City of Warburg and Stadtwerke Warburg. Following a public tender, the new festival host is Köster Event + Gastronomie — the family business from the Hochstift region will cater the festival tent, manage two beverage stands at the fairground, and handle catering for Stadthalle events. The concept is modernized with a beer garden, additional cocktail and wine offerings, and local Warburger Pils. The beer price remains €3.50. Program highlights include the Mayor's keg tapping ceremony to kick things off, Family Day, Senior Afternoon, concerts in the Stadthalle, the 49th Oktoberwochenlauf on Sunday, and closing fireworks.

Highlights Oktoberwoche Warburg 2026

77th edition of the largest folk festival between Kassel and Paderborn
Ten festival days with fairground, festival tent, and Stadthalle program
New festival host Köster Event + Gastronomie
Beer price remains at €3.50
Family Day and Senior Afternoon
49th Warburger Oktoberwochenlauf on the final Sunday
Closing fireworks on October 11th, 2026

Programme Oktoberwoche Warburg 2026

Opening Weekend — October 3rd to 5th, 2026

Saturday, Oct 3rd — Festival Tent Opening with Mayor's keg tapping ceremony (exact time available on warburg.de)
Saturday/Sunday — Opening of the fairground and amusement rides
Sunday, Oct 4th — First Family Afternoon and morning pint in the festival tent

Weekdays — October 5th to 8th, 2026

Daytime — Amusement rides and stalls, fairground atmosphere
Evening — Festival tent program with live music (bands to be scheduled by Stadtwerke Warburg and Köster Event)
One weekday — Family Day with discounted prices on amusement rides
One afternoon — Senior Afternoon in the festival tent with coffee, cake, and music

Sports and Culture Week

Stadthalle events with dance evenings, concerts, and comedy (program and tickets from the Hanseatic City of Warburg)
Indoor tournaments and sporting competitions throughout the city

Closing Weekend — October 10th and 11th, 2026

Saturday, Oct 10th — Main evening in the festival tent
Sunday, Oct 11th — 49th Warburger Oktoberwochenlauf: Start in the city center, courses from children's run to main race (route through Altstadt and Neustadt as well as Diemel meadows, registration via the official running website of the Hanseatic City of Warburg)
Sunday evening — Farewell to the festival week
Closing Fireworks as the traditional highlight of the final festival day

Stage program, Stadthalle dates, and bands will be announced via warburg.de and local press (Westfalen-Blatt, Neue Westfälische).

Prices Oktoberwoche Warburg 2026

Free admission to the festival grounds and fairground. Beer (0.5 l) €3.50. Wine, cocktails, and Warburger Pils as posted. Amusement rides range from €2 (children's carousel) to €6 (large rides). Stadthalle events: tickets vary by program, advance sales through the Hanseatic City of Warburg. Family Day: special prices on all rides.

Practical information

Practical information — Oktoberwoche Warburg

Getting There

Train: Warburg (Westf) station, an ICE stop on the Frankfurt–Hanover line, RE17 Hagen–Warburg. Car: A44 motorway, Warburg exit. Parking is signposted around the city center.

Admission

Festival grounds and fairground: Free admission. Rides and drinks as posted. Stadthalle events require tickets — available from the Hanseatic City of Warburg and at the box office.

Beer & Food

Half a liter of beer remains €3.50. Additionally, cocktails, wine, Warburger Pils, and non-alcoholic beverages. Bratwurst, potato pancakes, fries, crêpes, and sweet specialties are available at the stalls.

Family Day

Discounted prices on amusement rides, traditionally held on a weekday during the second week of the festival. Current date available on warburg.de.

Warburg — Hanseatic City in the Höxter District

Warburg, with around 23,000 inhabitants on the Diemel river in the Höxter district of North Rhine-Westphalia, is a Hanseatic city and a central hub in southern Ostwestfalen. Situated between the Eggegebirge and Habichtswald hills, its historic double city structure of Altstadt (Old Town) and Neustadt (New Town) shapes the cityscape — a backdrop for one of the region's most traditional folk festivals.

77 Years of Oktoberwoche

With 77 editions in 2026, the Warburger Oktoberwoche is firmly anchored in Ostwestfalen's festival calendar. For ten days, the festival grounds transform into a fairground with rides, stalls, and drink stands, while concerts and events take place concurrently in the Stadthalle (city hall), sporting competitions are held throughout the city, and cultural events unfold in the Altstadt. The Oktoberwoche is considered the largest folk festival between Kassel and Paderborn, attracting visitors from the entire Höxter district, the Hessian Waldeck-Frankenberg region, and the southern Hochstift Paderborn.

New Festival Host 2026

Following a public tender by Stadtwerke Warburg, Köster Event + Gastronomie will take over as the new festival host in 2026. Founded in 2003 by Markus Köster, this family business with 22 permanent and up to 300 seasonal employees manages over 500 events annually in the region. Sons Nils and Silas Köster have joined the business. Plans include modern beverage stations with umbrellas and seating areas between the festival tent and the fairground, an additional offering of cocktails, wine, and local Warburger Pils, as well as catering for Stadthalle events. The beer price will remain at €3.50, Köster emphasizes — a deliberate signal to regular guests.

Program Between Festival Tent and Stadthalle

The program combines classic fairground attractions with stage and sports events. Amusement rides for all ages — from the chain carousel to large thrill rides — fill the festival grounds. The Stadthalle hosts dance evenings, live concerts, and comedy shows. Sporting events such as indoor tournaments and the traditional Oktoberwochenlauf complement the festival week. A Family Day with discounted ride prices and the Senior Afternoon with coffee and cake in the festival tent are fixed dates. The celebration concludes on the last Sunday with a spectacular fireworks display over the city.

Oktoberwochenlauf — The 49th Edition

The sporting highlight of the festival week is the 49th Warburger Oktoberwochenlauf, a fun run for amateur and competitive runners with courses ranging from a children's run to the main race. The start and finish are traditionally located in the city center, with the route leading through the Altstadt and Neustadt and across the Diemel meadows — with spectators lining the entire course.