Activities and more:
Events in the Pied Piper city
Experience Hamelin at any season
The people of Hamelin enjoy life every day – numerous annually recurring events throughout the city impressively reflect that. The lively cultural and theater scene is another special feature: year after year, regular performances and open-air plays attract thousands of spectators from near and far.
Open air theatre & musical
Mystica Hamelon
Pflasterfest Hamelin
Wine festival Hamelin
Outdoor Performance and “Rats”
A must for anyone visiting the Pied Piper town in the summer months is the open-air play on the stage at the Hochzeitshaus, directly in Hamelin’s center. For more than 60 years, the colorfully costumed play group has been delighting audiences of young and old on Sundays at noon. After 30 minutes the performance culminates with a walk of the Pied Piper and his entourage through the city.
A permanent guest on the stage at the Hochzeitshaus as well and just as indispensable: the musical “Rats”. The cheeky new interpretation of the classic saga, in which the perspective of the rat king is humorously portrayed, takes place every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. during the summer months. After the musical, the rat king himself takes you on a tour through the city.
Mystica Hamelon
With the Mystica Hamelon, a medieval spectacle takes place every spring in the middle of Hamelin’s historic old town. In front of a picturesque backdrop, jugglers, traveling musicians, merchants and craftsmen bring to back life a romantic image of the town’s medieval life, which not only medieval fans enjoy.
Over 120 booths invite visitors to browse, watch and marvel. Program items such as a pirate show and thrilling performances by fire-eaters will make not only children’s hearts beat faster. A special treat at this unique spectacle is that many visitors dress up in rattling knight’s armor or lovingly sewn rag clothing.
Pflasterfest hameln
In August, the Pied Piper town invites you to dance. Every year, the famous Pflasterfest attracts a good 100,000 visitors to Hamelin’s city center. There are plenty of reasons for this: live music from a wide variety of genres, beer, bratwurst, and an overall excellent atmosphere. More than 80 bands entertain Hamelin’s citizens and visitors for three days on six stages and at two DJ areas.
Originally launched to celebrate the redevelopment of the city center in 2013, the Pflasterfest is now one of the city’s annual highlights. Anyone visiting the Pied Piper City during the summer should not miss this vastly popular festival.
Wine festival
A feast for the senses
Fine wines, food and delightful company await visitors of the annual wine festival in the centrally located Bürgerpark. More than 30 stands offer the finest wines from renowned German growing regions, a French market with typical dishes such as tarte flambée, sausage, cheese, pastries, and more create a spectacular culinary experience.
The appropriate setting for this three-day party in the heart of Hamelin is provided by moody rhythms from selected artists who demonstrate their skills on the center stage.
Autumn market
The old town shimmers in the most beautiful autumn colors in October. Numerous merchants offer seasonal specialties at the richly decorated autumn market and crafty artisans delight visitors with their skills. Without the furry, pelted, feathered and four-legged VIPs, however, the autumn market would only be half as exciting:
Donkeys, geese, sheep, and other crowd favorites wait in the Old Town to be marveled at, petted and fed by marketgoers. Not least because of this attraction, the autumn market is one of the highlights of the year for young and old.
Autumn Moon
When the gothic festival Autumn Moon opens its doors for three days in October, the Rattenfängerhalle and the adjacent Weser Promenade are transformed into a mecca for fans of the dark arts. Stars and newcomers of the genres of gothic, metal, folk, dark wave, and others will perform on several indoor and outdoor stages.
Popular with music fans as well: the Mystic Halloween Market held at the same time. In this area, which is also freely accessible to non-festival-goers, merchants and craftsmen offer their artfully crafted goods and provide visitors with all kinds of food and drink.
Christmas market
Hamelin’s Christmas market is the absolute highlight of the year for many locals and visitors. For four weeks, Hamelin’s residents and tourists from all over the world celebrate the Advent season in the historic old town. Merchandise is displayed at numerous stalls, fish is smoked, sausages and steaks are roasted, and, of course, mulled wine is served.
The historic architecture of the Old Town is the backdrop for a fairytale Christmas atmosphere that few cities in the world can boast of. No wonder thousands of people head to Hamelin every year to witness this grandiose event.
