Wildeshausen St. Martin's Market
Traditional St. Martin's Market with lantern parade, equestrian cavalcade, fire show, and over 50 market stalls in the Wildeshausen city center on November 8, 2026
2026
About St. Martin's Market
The Wildeshausen St. Martin's Market is one of the most traditional city festivals in the late autumn calendar of the Oldenburg district. Evolved from the historic Goose Market, the market on Sunday, November 8, 2026, combines traditional market activities with an unusual staging: a lantern parade, an equestrian cavalcade depicting St. Martin, and a fire show make the day a visual experience.
Over 50 market vendors offering arts and crafts, culinary delights, and regional products will fill the city center. Musical programs round off the day. The organizer is Stadtmarketing Wildeshausen. Free admission.
St. Martin's Market — edition 2026
The Wildeshausen St. Martin's Market 2026 will take place on Sunday, November 8. Over 50 market stalls will fill the city center with arts and crafts, regional products, and food. Highlights include the lantern parade, the equestrian cavalcade as a St. Martin's depiction, and a fire show at dusk.
Free admission. The organizer is Stadtmarketing Wildeshausen. The market is part of the city's annual autumn tradition.
St. Martin's Narrative as a Common Thread
The story of St. Martin — the sharing of the cloak at the city gate, the baking of bread on the following night, the children's lantern parade — forms the common thread of the St. Martin's Market. The equestrian cavalcade re-enacts the cloak-sharing scene, and the family lantern parade connects to the tradition of childhood memories. This creates a historically and religiously founded festival concept that is both a modern city festival and a family event.
Market Activities
Over 50 exhibitors — artisans, bakers, confectioners, farmers with direct marketing, food vendors — offer their goods in the city center. Wildeshausen's retailers will have their shops open during the Sunday shopping event.
Highlights St. Martin's Market 2026
- Equestrian cavalcade as a St. Martin's depiction
- Family lantern parade
- Fire show at dusk
- Over 50 market stalls and Sunday shopping
Programme St. Martin's Market 2026
Schedule November 8, 2026
The exact program for 2026 will be published by the organizer in spring/summer. The structure follows the proven key points of previous years:
- Morning: Opening of the St. Martin's Market, market stalls open
- Midday: Lunchtime program with musical performances
- Afternoon: Family program, children's activities, preparation for the lantern parade
- Dusk: Lantern parade with families
- Evening: Equestrian cavalcade through the city center — St. Martin's depiction
- Evening: Fire show as a visual highlight
Market Stalls
- Arts and crafts, ceramics, textiles
- Regional food products — honey, cheese, sausages, baked goods
- Hot drinks (mulled wine, punch) and snacks
- Sunday shopping at Wildeshausen's stores
Prices St. Martin's Market 2026
Free admission. Purchases at market stalls and in restaurants.
Practical information — St. Martin's Market
Date 2026
Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Venue
Wildeshausen City Center — Market Square, Hunte, Westerstraße, and surrounding streets.
Admission
Free admission.
Getting There
Wildeshausen is located on the A1 motorway (Wildeshauser Geest exit). Train connection via Bremen–Osnabrück. Approximately a 10-minute walk from the train station to the city center.
From Goose Market to St. Martin's Market
The market has its roots in the historic Goose Market — a classic autumn market centered around the St. Martin's Day festival, where geese were traditionally traded as festive poultry. Over the years, the format has evolved into the St. Martin's Market with a broader range of goods, a family program, and festive staging. The St. Martin's theme is at the core.
Lantern Parade and Equestrian Cavalcade
The highlight of the day is the equestrian cavalcade, a depiction of St. Martin. Riders in historical attire process through the city center with the scene of the cloak-sharing. The cavalcade is accompanied by the lantern parade — children and families from Wildeshausen join in with their homemade lanterns. This combination of equestrian performance and lantern parade is unique in the region.
Fire Show
A fire show adds a spectacular visual element to the program. It is performed at dusk, thematically connecting to the light motif of the St. Martin's Market.
Over 50 Market Stalls
More than 50 market vendors set up their stalls in the city center. The range of goods includes arts and crafts, ceramics, regional food products — honey, cheese, sausages, baked goods — as well as hot drinks and snacks. Wildeshausen's retailers open their shops as part of a Sunday shopping event.
Music and Family Program
Musical performances on a stage in the market square, children's activities, and smaller hands-on stations complement the market activities. The St. Martin's Market is explicitly designed as a family event and attracts thousands of visitors from across the entire district each year.
Where it takes place St. Martin's Market
St. Martin's Market at a glance
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Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .