08. September 2023
City marketing
569 years of the Bocholt funfair
Town hall construction site not an obstacle to the popular funfair
The 569th Bocholt funfair will take place this year at the end of the autumn holidays, as always on the third weekend in October. This year, too, visitors can look forward to the four-day highlight, because from Friday up to and including Monday, the rides will be running, the games will be on offer and the snack bar operators / confectioners / drinks sellers will be offering their range of products.
Long preparation time | Aim for a good mix of rides
From a large number of applications, about 300 showmen and local innkeepers were selected to be given a stand at the traditional inner-city funfair. The Bocholt funfair is a date marked on the calendars of the people of Bocholt and therefore certainly deserves to be called a "folk festival". Kirmes organiser Markus Kock's main concern in the selection process is the mix of high-quality and large rides as well as a wide range of offers for children and families and an attractive snack and bar business. "Of course it is work and means months of preparation, but it is a lot of fun to plan the funfair for Bocholt. We are rewarded for this on the event weekend, because people enjoy their visit to the funfair to the fullest," says Kock. And it is not only the visitors from Bocholt and the region who enjoy the funfair. "Our showmen enjoy being in Bocholt because the funfair has a high status here and because people celebrate peacefully with each other," adds city marketing manager Ludger Dieckhues.
Kirmes set-up | Own infrastructure
For the event days, a complete infrastructure with electricity and water supply as well as a modified traffic routing will be set up. Hundreds of caravans and logistics vehicles of the showmen will be set up throughout the city. "The special thing about the Bocholt funfair is that it is an appealing combination of a city centre funfair and a large centre on the largest car park in the city centre, Berliner Platz. As a result, there are different walkways that always open up new views. There is something for everyone," Dieckhues is sure. A detailed advertising concept for the funfair aims to reach out-of-town guests as well as locals and make them plan a visit to the funfair.
Space behind the Kinodrom remains | Compensation for barrier area at the town hall construction site
As part of the 800th anniversary celebrations last year, another square in the immediate vicinity of the main fairground was included in the events: The site of the old fire station behind the Kinodrom. This will also be used for the funfair in 2023. The large square is also a compensation area for the area at the town hall, which will be reduced due to the construction site fencing. This year, the area behind the Kinodrom will once again be home to large rides such as "Die Montgolfiere", "Autoscooter Number 1", "Laser Pix" and "Skyfall", as well as a large bar: the "Ox" alpine hut run by Bocholt restaurateur Philip Traber. In 2022, this combination resulted in a high quality of stay with a good frequency of visitors, so Markus Kock is again counting on the attraction behind the Kinodrom this year.
More info on the Bocholt funfair
All rides, the programme and information on how to get there can be found here